This post is sponsored
Stage 2 of Northern Stage was turned into The Future Restaurant tonight where the kids are taking our orders and making some delicious dishes with only the freshest ingredients.
Only they aren’t because they have not been given enough stock in the food parcels and let me tell you the staff are pretty unhappy about it.
I sat at table 5 and as I was served herbal tea and a savoury pancake, I listened to what the children had to say. They understand that they deserve better and they will be heard, they won’t be thrown off with voice mails and useless excuses.
Free School Meals wrote by Luca Rutherford and directed by Annie Rigby, showed us what kids can do when they are in charge and are worried about their future.
Inspired by Marcus Rashford, I was expecting more of a focus on that, yes the ingredients that arrived in the parcels were 10 cheese slices, a Frube and half a carrot etc but that was the only reference. Obviously, that is not good enough, that food packet can not feed everyone and I saw that through the show, I just wanted there to be more of that.
The children were accompanied by Alex Elliot and rapper Kay Greyson, the words hit my heart and made me realize that this current world needs to change.
The children were not phased by a large number of customers, they oozed confidence and I can definitely see a future in performing arts for them.
I was expecting to be empowered, motivated and to learn about food poverty but I am sad to say I didn’t get that tonight and the performance did leave a sour taste in my mouth.
Free School Meals was more about opening our hearts and minds and using our imaginations to build a better future.
Free School Meals is on at Northern Stage till the 28 August. Tickets start from £10. Visit www.northernstage.co.uk or call 0191 230 5151 to book.
Gemma's Journey 