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Punch (play)

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Punch
Written byJames Graham
Based onRight from Wrong by Jacob Dunne
Date premiered4 May 2024
Place premieredNottingham Playhouse
GenreDrama
SettingNottingham

Punch is a 2024 play written by British playwright James Graham. It is based on the non-fiction book Right from Wrong by Jacob Dunne. Punch premiered at Nottingham Playhouse in 2024 and was transferred to Young Vic in 2025.[1] The show is scheduled to transfer to the Apollo Theatre in the West End from 22 September to 29 November 2025, concurrently running with its Broadway counterpart.

Synopsis

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Jacob Dunne punches a man with fatal consequences.[2]

Background

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The play is based on Jacob Dunne's memoir Right From Wrong.[3] Dunne was jailed for the manslaughter of trainee paramedic James Hodgkinson in 2011.[4] Hodgkinson had been visiting Nottingham to attend a test match,[5] and was killed as a result of an unprovoked [6] single punch.[7] Although never forgotten, Hodgkinson's mother Joan Scourfield later forgave Dunne.[8] Dunne and Scourfield have subsequently campaigned about the risks of a single punch.[9]

After only a handful of performances[4] Dunne was no longer able to watch the second act of the play.[4] After the interval Punch explores him meeting Hodgkinson's mum, a meeting that Dunne acknowledged had a profound affect on him.[4]

Punch was written by James Graham, with direction by Adam Penford.[3] An Olivier Award-winner Graham is often described as a state of the nation playwright[10][11], who has previously written Best of Enemies, Dear England, This House, and Sherwood. [12] The original productions featured design by Anna Fleischle,[13] with lighting by Robbie Butler,[13] sound design by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite,[13] and movement direction by Leanne Pinder.[13]

The play was published by Methuen Drama in March 2025.[14]

Production history

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Off-West End (2024)

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The world premiere of Punch opened on 4 May 2024, at the Nottingham Playhouse for a limited run and closed on 25 May 2024.[15]The cast included Julie Hesmondhalgh, Tony Hirst, David Shields, Alec Boaden, Shalisha James-Davis, and Emma Pallant.[12] The production received critical acclaim[16][17][18] and was nominated for two WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Play.[2]

Punch transferred to Young Vic the following year. Previews began 1 March 2025, with an opening night on 6 March.[19] The show ran until 26 April.[19] The original cast returned.[2]

West End (2025)

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The show is scheduled to transfer to the Apollo Theatre in the West End from 22 September to 29 November 2025,[20] where it will run concurrently with the Broadway production.[21]

Broadway (2025)

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Punch is scheduled to premiere on Broadway as part of the Manhattan Theatre Club's 2025-2026 season at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre.[22] Initial casting was announced in June 2025, with Will Harrison playing Jacob.[23]

Cast and characters

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Character Off-West End[24]
2024
Joan Julie Hesmondhalgh
David, Derek, Jacob's Dad Tony Hirst
Jacob David Shields
Raf, DS Villiers, and Sam Alec Boaden
Clare, Teacher, and Nicola Shalisha James-Davis
Wendy, Sandra, Jacob's Mum Emma Pallant

References

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  1. ^ Hall, Margaret (17 July 2024). "James Graham's Punch to Play London's Young Vic". PLAYBILL.
  2. ^ a b c "James Graham's Punch to transfer to Broadway following London run". WhatsOnStage. 10 March 2025. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  3. ^ a b Evans, Greg (10 March 2025). "James Graham's Acclaimed 'Punch' To Open Manhattan Theatre Club's 2025-2026 Broadway Season". Deadline. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d "One-punch killer can only stand first act of play about his story". thetimes.com. The Times. 3 March 2025. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  5. ^ "PPlay tells real-life story of one-punch killing". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 18 April 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  6. ^ "I've got to know the man I killed". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 3 August 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  7. ^ "Play of one-punch death to move to West End". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 20 July 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  8. ^ "My son's killer and me: grief, pain and the power of forgiveness after a one-punch death". theguardian.com. The Guardian. 2 March 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  9. ^ "Killer Jacob Dunne 'saved' by parents of victim". bbc.co.uk/news. BBC News. 3 March 2016. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  10. ^ "Punch: another state-of-the-nation masterpiece from James Graham". telegraph.co.uk. The Telegraph. 7 March 2025. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Punch Review". thestage.co.uk. The Stage. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  12. ^ a b "James Graham's Punch to Play London's Young Vic". Playbill. Archived from the original on 2 November 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  13. ^ a b c d Graham, James (2025). Punch. Methuen Drama. p. 6. ISBN 9781350553422.
  14. ^ "Punch". bloomsbury.com. Bloomsbury Publishing. 15 March 2025. Retrieved 6 July 2025.
  15. ^ kathrynm (12 March 2024). "NEWS: Punch cast announced". Nottingham Playhouse. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  16. ^ Akbar, Arifa (10 May 2024). "Punch review – James Graham's tragic study of a fatal blow". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  17. ^ "James Graham's Punch extends run at the Young Vic". WhatsOnStage. 16 December 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  18. ^ "Punch at Nottingham Playhouse review – James Graham's new drama is gutwrenching but humorous". WhatsOnStage. 10 May 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  19. ^ a b "Punch Young Vic". youngvic.org. Young Vic. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  20. ^ "James Graham's Punch to transfer to the West End". whatsonstage.com. WhatsOnStage.com. 1 April 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  21. ^ "James Graham's Punch To Premiere Simultaneously on Broadway and West End". playbill.com. Playbill. 1 April 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  22. ^ "Manhattan Theatre Club to Open James Graham's Punch on Broadway in Fall 2025". Broadway.com. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
  23. ^ "Will Harrison, Sam Robards to Star on Broadway in James Graham's Punch". theatermania.com. Theatre Mania. 23 June 2025. Retrieved 27 June 2025.
  24. ^ "Punch". Nottingham Playhouse. Retrieved 20 March 2025.
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