A Greek theatre has found a way of staging its own fight-back against news the country will be plunged into recession this year. By offering tickets in return for food!

Greek think-tank, the Foundation for Economic and Industrial Research claims the country's economy will shrink by 5%. It's already suffering an alarming hike in unemployment (as is the rest of Europe!) but the percentage of jobless in Greece has jumped up from 17.3% to 20%.

So as an antidote to the depressing messages, the National Theatre in Thessaloniki is offering culture vultures a front row escape from the burdens of their everyday financial pressures, by allowing them to pay for show tickets with food.

Beans, rice, olive oil, pasta and washing up powder were some of the goodies handed over. This lady and her boyfriend got in line to watch a performance of Chatroom, by Irish playwright Enda Walsh. She said "It's a very good initiative -- very touching it helps a lot of people because it's an opportunity for them to come to the theatre, which otherwise they would not be able to afford, so it's very good.

The food will be given to organizations that care for neglected children and battered women. The actors who performed in the play did so voluntarily.