I went to see PUNCH this afternoon. It is another absolute stunner of a play from James Graham (who was there, which was very exciting). It deals with themes such as gang violence, toxic masculinity, faith and the power of forgiveness.
The first act begins with the fateful punch, and then goes back in time to show how our main character, Jacob got to that point. It moves through time throughout, with scenes involving James’ parents, David and Joan (the victim of Jacob’s one punch). It is very energetic and fast-paced.
The second act is where the play really takes off, and is the emotional heart of the piece. This focusses on the restorative justice process once Jacob gets out of prison, and how he turns his life around. This is the first time that Jacob can bring himself to say James’ name. It is incredibly moving, and I had tears in my eyes throughout. However, it also does that typical Graham masterstroke of making you laugh alongside the tears. The scene where the three main characters meet for the first time is absolute fire!
The dialogue in this is incredibly well crafted, feeling hyper-realistic. Sentences trail off unfinished, only for another to be introduced and characters interrupt one another as you would expect. Every single interaction feels authentic.
The small cast do a fantastic job at portraying multiple characters.
David Shields as Jacob is a star. He is immensely watchable, and you cannot take your eyes off of him. Having listened to the audiobook of Jacob’s memoir, he also does an uncanny job with his voice. He is onstage throughout, and the energy is breathtaking. His reactions to others when not speaking are also beautiful to watch.
Julie Hesmondhalgh and Tony Hirst as James’ parents, Joan and Tony are a moving presence throughout, and portray their anguish and inner conflict beautifully.
Alec Boaden, Shalisha James-Davis and Emma Pallant excel at playing their multiple roles. It feels like each one is played by a different actor.
I also just wanted to mention the lighting, which is brilliant. It works really well with the static set to move us from scene to scene, as well as create mood and atmosphere.
This deserves a future life, beyond its month in Nottingham. It is a really important piece of theatre, that should be seen by a much wider audience. I encourage those who can get to Nottingham to go and see it.
I can’t wait for BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF in July.
5 stars.