Punch returns to the Nottingham Playhouse
Olivier Award nominee, Punch, returns to the Playhouse where the show first began.
4 degrees right now, and climbing to 10 degrees just before lunch. It will be sunny throughout much of the day, and fairly dry. The wind is much calmer too today. Wrap up warmly, and you'll have a lovely day out there. This is an especially good day for a Park Run.
At the Nottingham Playhouse, Punch has return following its stint on the West End and on Broadway. The play follows the story of a Nottingham real life tragedy, where a teenager throws one punch and changes two lives forever. Jacob Dunne, from the Meadows, punched a stranger, James Hodgkinson, who died from the attack. After seven years in prison, Dunne was forgiven by the victim's mother, and together they've worked on a campaign against violence.
Dunne spoke to the BBC back in 2024 when the play first came to the stage. He said, "we are exploring an untraditional villain. I am the protagonist, but I am also somebody that learned from my lessons and tried to repair the harm and do the best that I can."
The director, James Graham, is not afraid to face these big, human-centred stories. His previous works includes Dear England, another play that takes a look at British civility. His television show, Sherwood, looked at how history ingrained itself in a people and how inescapable that cage becomes.
Mr Graham is currently a contender for the Best New Play Olivier Award.
Punch runs until April 4th with tickets starting at £14.50. There are also three special dates featuring post-show discussions: they're on the 19th March, 25th March, 1st April. Guests of the discussion aren't yet confirmed, but Jacob Dunne has been close to the production, so an appearance wouldn't be too surprising.
