I, Daniel Blake

Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne

He’s not as steady on his feet these days, but Ken Loach was among the first to stand and applaud this stage adaptation of his Palme d’Or-winning piece of signature social realism. Loach’s Newcastle story of benefits and sanctions, housing squalor and food poverty hit a nerve in 2016 and  – this production contends – is even more relevant today, as food banks outnumber McDonald’s. Adapted by the film’s Geordie star Dave Johns, who saw his first play at Northern Stage as a schoolboy, became a bricklayer then a stand-up before being cast as Blake, the tale has teeth. David Nellist brings further warmth to the eponymous widowed carpenter, who turns to welfare after a heart attack. There’s more space for Bryony Corrigan’s single mum to articulate what it’s like to be labelled working poor or, worse, ignored – her tearing into tinned beans in a food bank through hunger no less harrowing on stage.

I, Daniel Blake continues at Northern Stage until 10 June, then is touring to Birmingham, Manchester, Exeter, Newcastle (again) Liverpool, Durham, Leeds, Oxford, Edinburgh, Stratford East, Northampton, Coventry and Guildford.

Photograph Pamela Raith Photography