Review: Punch, Young Vic Theatre - a thought provoking and emotional journey
07/03/2025
Jacob Dunne (David Shields) is an unruly youth from 'The Meadows' in Nottingham, an experimentally-designed, 1970s council estate that has created rat runs of dark alley for youths to play or move around undetected.
It's described as like being in a live video game by Jacob, and is a place with two paths: keep your head down or drugs and gangs. Struggling in school and seeing no future prospects, he chooses the latter, using his fists to maintain status within his friendship group.
A good night out is drink, drugs and a fight until, with just one punch, tragedy strikes.
What life could or should Jacob have after he has killed James Hodgkinson, a young man out for a drink with his dad after watching the cricket? Besides a short prison sentence, what justice is there for James's parents, Joan (Julia Hesmondhalgh) and David (Tony Hirst)?
James Graham's play, Punch, is based on Jacob Dunne's book Right From Wrong and was originally produced for Nottingham Playhouse.
The fast-paced first half uses clever lighting by Robbie Butler and movement by Leanne Pinder to transport us into the world of Jacob - school, estate, church, pub, clubs and home with his despairing mum (Emma Pallant).
A more contemplative second half carries punches of a different sort. This isn't about retaliation for the loss of an innocent life but taking a much more challenging but ultimately more fulfilling conciliatory path.
Continue reading "Review: Punch, Young Vic Theatre - a thought provoking and emotional journey" »