Punch – Theatre Royal Plymouth

Writer: James Graham

Director: Adam Penford

Punch, written by James Graham after Jacob Dunne’s memoir Right from Wrong and directed by Adam Penford, tells the story of how Jacob Dunne’s future was irrevocably changed when a single punch on a night out in Nottingham ended the life of 28-year-old James Hodgkinson.

The set of Punch, thoughtfully designed by Anna Fleischle, transports audiences to the heart of a Nottingham social housing estate, New Meadows. Built in the Radburn style to create an environment that should be supportive and create a sense of community, New Meadows closes its inhabitants off and separates them from the world. Fleischle’s design puts dark underpasses and grey concrete front and centre; evoking the real-life stage where for Dunne anti-social behaviour dominated. Lighting designer, Robbie Butler, takes full advantage of the set to create shadows, city lights and backgrounds of fireworks, illuminating the different stages of Dunne’s journey.

Through an ensemble cast, with a stand-out performance by Elan Butler playing Raf and Sam, we meet Dunne’s teachers, friends, associates, parents and his fellow prisoners. The characters traverse the stage using what, at times, is quite a tired movement vocabulary – think Frantic Assembly but without the commitment. The cast do however seamlessly slip between characters, adding to both the sense of place and speaking of the importance of nurture over nature in how many of us develop. The fast-paced first act takes audiences on a journey of nights out and punch-ups, Dunne revelling in building his status as someone to be feared, leading up to the fateful night when a single punch killed James Hodgkinson.

Moments of narration from Dunne in the present day punctuate the show and demonstrate the arc of his character. Through similar moments, we also meet the parents of the young man Dunne killed, Joan and David Hodgkinson. Whilst effective for packing a lot into a two-hour show, it feels like this device has been brought out time and again and could do with updating.

The catalyst for Dunne’s transformative journey on leaving prison is a process of restorative justice, initiated by Joan and David – the tempo of the play changes, scenes extend in length and the characters of Jacob’s past slowly disappear. Longer scenes and in-depth conversations dig beneath the surface of Dunne’s actions and lay bare their far-reaching impacts. The soundtrack to the piece, designed by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite, shifts from pulsing club mixes to a more reflective mood, and we see the full circle of Dunne’s journey, thanks to the restorative justice process and the ability of two parents to engage with their son’s killer in the hardest of circumstances.

This play speaks to parents, young people and vitally to young men in the throes of finding their identity. The piece informs and gives a message of hope and humanity against the odds. The message of this play continues to be relevant, and through the incredible work of the outreach team, both the performance and associated talks will allow it to reach those audiences.

Runs until 18 April 2026.