As part of G28 upcoming expedition which they are currently in immersion for, we have organised a cultural visit to Northern Stage to see the critically acclaimed I, Daniel Blake.
Dan is a carpenter. A Geordie through and through. Just on the mend after a heart attack. Katie has just arrived from London. Finally got a council house for her and the kids. A fresh start.
I, Daniel Blake is one of the most important stories of a generation. A glimpse behind the headlines and the stark reality of what happens when the political system is stacked against you. With 14.5 million* people living in poverty in the UK, this is not fiction. It is reality.
A touching and vital story of how people come together in the face of adversity and how sometimes creating a family to support you just isn’t enough. The show is adapted for stage by Dave Johns who played Daniel Blake in the award winning 2016 film.
*Joseph Rowntree Foundation 2022 Poverty Report.
We feel that it is important for our students to have the experience of visiting a theatre to see a show (something we had to curtail last year).
The show has an age guidance of 14+ as it does explore some sensitive themes. We do feel that our Y9 cohort are mature enough to deal with this. We have consulted with people who have seen the show who have also advised that they think it would be appropriate for a mature Y9 cohort. Also, in the context of the upcoming expedition, exploring the realities of life for people living in our area and how systems that are supposed to support people can in fact let them down is crucial to their engagement with this expedition and our final product. You can view the specific guidance here if you would like to read anymore. Feel free to get in touch if you have any concerns.
This will take place on Thursday 14th September. Students will be having a slightly earlier lunch at 12pm so that we can leave school at 12.30 to travel by metro to Northern Stage. The show begins at 2pm and has a running time of 2 hours including an intermission.
We plan to be back to school by 5pm but we will update the website if this changes. Again, if this is a problem, please get in touch with your child’s crew leader.
Due to allergies within the cohort, students are not to bring any additional drinks or snacks for the performance. They should have their usual water bottle with them that we will ensure is filled before leaving school.