From Screen to Stage: I, Daniel Blake
As I, Daniel Blake returns to Northern Stage this week, we’ve been reflecting on what makes this story so powerful — and, more broadly, on the role theatre plays in bringing people together, particularly as we mark World Theatre Day.
Originally a BAFTA and Palme d’Or winning film, the journey to stage for I, Daniel Blake was never just about retelling the same story in a different format. Any adaptation raises an important question: Why theatre? What can a live performance offer that a screen cannot?
Theatre is live, shared, and unrepeatable. Each performance exists only in that moment — a room full of people experiencing something together. There are no edits or second takes; once it begins, the story unfolds in real time, carried by the performers and shaped by the energy in the room.
That shared experience is what makes theatre so distinctive. Audiences don’t watch in isolation — they respond collectively. There’s a unique connection in that: a sense of being part of something happening right now, alongside others.
Theatre offers more than entertainment. It creates space for reflection, conversation, and empathy — allowing us to step into other people’s lives and perspectives. It can bring complex or distant issues into sharp, human focus.
And with a story like I, Daniel Blake, that feels especially important.
The production brings audiences closer to the realities behind the headlines — to the people behind the statistics. It takes issues many are aware of, such as the complexities and failures of the benefits system, and humanises them. It shifts the conversation from abstract ideas to lived experience.
This is where theatre has a particular strength. While it may not reach as many people as film, it can reach audiences in a deeper, more immediate way. It invites reflection, sparks conversation, and creates a space where people can connect — not just with the story, but with each other.
That impact extends beyond the stage – previous tours of I, Daniel Blake have helped raise awareness and support for food banks, showing how storytelling can inspire meaningful, real-world action.
At its heart, theatre is about connection — bringing people together to share stories, to reflect, and to feel. On World Theatre Day, and as I, Daniel Blake returns to the stage, it’s a powerful reminder of what theatre can do — and why it continues to matter.
If you have an idea for a stage adaptation and are looking for support or advice - we’d love to hear from you!
Get in touch via our website or by emailing info@tinydragonproductions.co.uk
You can catch I, Daniel Blake at Northern Stage until 4th April, before it tours to Citizens Theatre Glasgow, The Dukes Lancaster, Home Manchester, and Leeds Playhouse.