James Graham’s play Punch, which premièred in Nottingham and will go to Broadway in autumn 2025, is to have a ten-week run in London’s West End.
The play, based on the book Right from Wrong by Jacob Dunne, started at Nottingham Playhouse in May 2024 and is currently running at London’s Young Vic. It will transfer to the Apollo Theatre in September.
Punch has ignited discussions across the country from theatres to courthouses and even to the House of Commons. It is a true-life account of how teenager Dunne threw a single punch in an unprovoked attack on a Nottingham street. James Hodgkinson fell, hit his head and died.
The original cast comprising Alec Boaden, Julie Hesmondhalgh, Tony Hirst, Shalisha James-Davis, Emma Pallant and David Shields will reprise their roles in the West End.
Nottingham Playhouse artistic director Adam Penford, who directs Punch, said, “it's been an honour developing this play over the past few years with the incredibly talented James Graham. We're both proudly from Nottingham, and it's a credit to the team at Nottingham Playhouse that this home-grown production continues to gather pace.
“The story of redemption and hope moves audiences in a way that only theatre can. To witness an audience collectively holding their breath, laughing and crying together is an unforgettable experience.
“I'm so pleased that more people will get the opportunity to see the outstanding original cast. I want to thank the West End producers for their support, particularly their dedication to ensuring the community and charitable work offstage remains just as important as the work onstage.
“I also want to acknowledge a debt of gratitude to Joan and David (James’s parents), Jacob and all the real-life people who appear in the play for their generosity and trust.”
Graham commented, “the honour and responsibility of telling Jacob, Joan and David's story and witnessing the impact their real-life journey has on audiences night on night—in Nottingham and at the Young Vic—I can honestly say it makes Punch one of the most moving and meaningful plays I've ever had the privilege to create. Having a further opportunity to see this Nottingham story on a national and now global stage is also, on a personal level, a deeply moving and surprising turn of events.
“We want Punch to grab audiences and entertain them, but we're also pleased to see it contributing to wider conversations about justice and masculinity. In the last week, we visited Parliament to introduce the issues of Punch to lawmakers and led a screening and question-and-answer session at a young offender institution.”
The KPPL Productions, Mark Gordon Pictures and Eilene Davidson Productions presentation of Punch in association with the Young Vic and Nica Burns will run at the Apollo Theatre from Monday 22 September until Saturday 29 November. Punch will open simultaneously at the Samuel J Friedman Theatre on Broadway.