Skip to main content

Review of I, Daniel Blake at Royal & Derngate (Royal), Northampton

Ken Loach's devastating 2016 film I, Daniel Blake sent shockwaves through many areas when it first came out and the worlds of politics and the general community became at odds with its depiction of the benefits system and the world of poverty. The political minds rubbished the theory and tales within it, but others knew well, living on the breadline and weaving and trying to survive the system themselves, that is was very true.

Daniel Blake is an upstanding citizen, a typical worker, who following a heart attack, hopes quite rightly, to be protected by the state in his bad days. This fails to happen as he finds himself unable to provide the points needed to gain benefit for his inability to work, and cannot take Universal Credit as he cannot work unless he continues to apply for jobs he simply cannot take. The system fails him, and fails his new friend Katie and her daughter Daisy, "transported" from London at the whim of the system.

The play has been cleverly and skillfully adapted by Dave Johns, who played the original Daniel Blake, from Paul Laverty's screenplay and it works extremely well. The strength of performance from the company often leaves the audience dumbfounded. Two of the most striking scenes of Daniel's second encounter with the garden centre owner and Katie's shame as she scatters the contents of her bag are as strong as you can simply imagine a moment in a play to be.

David Nellist is amazing as Daniel Blake, portraying the caring, but desperate man with poise and calm considering much he has to deal with. This contrasts beautifully with his moments of rage, making him seem so real. Bryony Corrigan is a revelation also in the role of Katie, far from the catalogue of her work with Mischief Theatre for instance, which audiences might be more familiar with. As she rips open a can of beans, we, in the audience, feel that intense need and desperation.

Jodie Wild offers excellent support in her professional stage debut as Katie's daughter Daisy, a kid, as Daniel himself acknowledges, has a much more mature head on her shoulders than her age. Elsewhere, Janine Leigh and Micky Cochrane offer great support in a series of generally unlikely characters, including the pen-pushing, obedient benefit officers. Completing the cast is Kema Sikazwe who reprises his actual role from the film as Jack the Lad, China, who often provides some delightful moments of humour with his Del Boy like plans for success via some dodgy shoes from "China".

The set from Rhys Jarman is simplicity itself and suits the show to perfection. Basically made up of a series of shelving, easily moveable from scene to scene with little break in the action. What breaks do occur are cleverly interspersed with quotes from mainly political players, all made after the original release of the film itself, and proves sadly that nothing has changed and if anything it has got much worse. The perfect proof of this is the need for food banks; at the time of the film's release in 2016, the area of Newcastle had just one food bank. Now, in 2023, there are seven.

These are the things that strike a cord through the need for I, Daniel Blake to exist still and in this production, stirring performances and impactful writing cut through the audience to make a play that needs to be seen.

A powerful mix of rage, anger and loving humanity.
⭐⭐


Performance reviewed: Tuesday 31st October 2023 at the Royal & Derngate (Royal), Northampton.
I, Daniel Blake is at Royal & Derngate until Saturday 4th November 2023.

For further details about the Royal & Derngate and to book tickets see their website at http://www.royalandderngate.co.uk

Production photos: Pamela Raith Photography


Popular posts from this blog

Review of National Theatre Connections 2017 (16 Shows) at Royal & Derngate (Royal & Underground), Northampton

Alongside the University of Northampton BA Actors Flash Festival, the Connections festival at Royal & Derngate is now my joint favourite week of theatre each year. This is my fourth year at the festival and each time I have tried my very best (and succeeded) in seeing more and more of those on offer (four in 2014, ten in 2015 and twelve last year). This year I cracked sixteen shows, including the most interesting, a chance to see two of the plays by three different groups. I was able to see nine of this year's ten plays (a single nagging one, Musical Differences by Robin French was missing from the R&D line-up), and most I either enjoyed or finally understood their merits or reasons for inclusion. The writing of sixteen reviews is a little bit of an daunting prospect, however, I will do my best to review each of the plays and those I saw more than once, and pick around the comparisons. Extremism by Anders Lustgarten Performed by Bedford College Extremism was perfo...

Review of Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders - The Redemption of Thomas Shelby at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

The Rambert Dance Company is the oldest such company in Britain having first performed in 1926. However, despite this, this was my first encounter with the group in my ten years of theatre-going. Coupled with this, it was also my first encounter with Peaky Blinders , having never seen the show, and only knowing a few vague things about it. My companion for the evening however was very familiar with the show, allowing some background behind the show. It turns out though,  Rambert Dance in Peaky Blinders - The Redemption of Thomas Shelby needs a little more than a good bit of knowledge of the show, as despite this production having incredible style, there struggles to be a cohesive structure to the show and the storytelling. Much more than other dance shows as well. The first act does a whistle-stop tour of the first five seasons and while it is a feast on the eye, and on the ear, it gets extremely confusing at times. The second act is freestyle and drifts away from the stories tol...

Review of Lord Of The Dance at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

The stage show Lord of the Dance possibly needs little introduction to most people, as it has become a legend and now, in this touring version, subtitled rather immodestly, 25 Years of Standing Ovations, it reaches a landmark anniversary. Those that do not know of the show would probably well know its spiritual fathers Michael Flatley, and even more likely Riverdance , from which Lord of the Dance sprung with a proper spring in its step. During the interval of the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest, Riverdance hit the world by storm as Michael Flatley and his troop of dancers possibly presented the most famous part of Eurovision ever, certainly of the non-singing variety at least. Here, this touring show brings that same style Flatley created from traditional Irish dancing across the country once again and it is truly something special to see. The concept of the show is simply a battle between good and evil told through dance, and some captivating and stunning songs performed by Celyn Cartw...