Powerful play about killing and forgiveness

Young Vic Theatre

James Graham’s latest ‘state of the nation’ play Punch looks at the kind of environment that breeds macho violence in young men. It’s based on the memoir of Jacob Dunne who enjoyed fighting and punched another young man James Hodgkinson who subsequently died. In a moving second half, the play looks at ‘restorative justice’ when the dead man’s parents meet his killer and transform him and themselves with understanding and forgiveness. The small-scale production was first produced at Nottingham Playhouse, in James Graham’s home county, was generally well received on its transfer to the young Vic. The cast were universally praised, from David Shields as the killer to Julie Hesmondhalgh and Tony Hirst as the parents. Some reviews thought the play was too didactic.

[Links to full reviews are included but a number are behind paywalls and therefore may not be accessible]

5 stars ★★★★★

Lindsay John for The Telegraph called it ‘a compelling examination of the human cost and consequences of violence.’ ‘Punch gets you in the gut in a way that is rare in theatre’ wrote Aliya Al-Hassan in BroadwayWorld. She praised the cast: ‘David Shields is extraordinary’ and ‘Julie Hesmondhalgh and Tony Hirst are both wonderful as James’s bereaved parents’. WhatsOnStage’s Sarah Crompton declared: ’It’s not a perfect play, but it is one that every single person should see.‘

4 stars ★★★★

‘Punch is on the smaller side for a James Graham play, but its climax will have you blubbing,’ said Time Out’s Andrzej Lukowski.

The Guardian stuck to its policy of not reviewing West End transfers. Arifa Akbar ‘called the Nottingham premiere ‘a powerful study of problematic young masculinity that defines itself through swagger, reputation and recreational violence.’

3 stars ★★★

‘(I)ts thoughtful search for meaning in a senseless act leaves the audience noisily sobbing‘ said the Independent’s Alice Saville. Her reservation was: ‘this play often feels overly didactic, with little moral complication.’

The Stage’s Sam Marlowe was disappointed that ‘the manner of its telling, in a production directed by Adam Penford, is disappointingly pedestrian; it’s a shame the approach isn’t more theatrically inventive, and less literal.’ She was impressed by ‘a raw, compelling performance from David Shields’.

Olivia Rook at LondonTheatre commented it ‘often feels heavy-handed. Ultimately, there is no need to preach in a show which already has such a powerful and devastating message.’

Calling the script ‘heavy handed’, The Times’ Clive Davis found ‘the primary-colour writing left me feeling the message undercut the drama.’

Critics’ Average Rating 3.9★

Punch can be seen at the Young Vic Theatre until 26 April 2025. Click here for tickets. It will transfer to The Apollo Theatre from 22 September 2025 (Tickets here)

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