Review: Punch (Apollo Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

One of the most talked about shows in London this year has undoubtedly been James Graham’s Punch, playing to packed audiences at the Young Vic earlier this year after a similarly well-received run in Nottingham last year. Growing bigger with each run, it felt inevitable that the West End would be calling, and it has… as has Broadway, where the show is currently playing. Would its West End transfer at the Apollo Theatre carry with it the same impact I felt when I first saw this remarkable play in March?

Punch tells the true story of Jacob Dunne, a teenager from Nottingham who spends his Saturday nights seeking thrills with his friends, without necessarily thinking of the consequences. That all changes on one fateful evening when an impulsive punch has fatal repercussions, resulting in the death of James Hodgkinson. After serving time in prison for his actions, Jacob finds himself at a crossroads as he decides what he has to do with his life. It is in the unlikely form of James’ parents, Joan and David, that he finds the answer and a purpose that results in a remarkable transformation

It is a difficult subject to talk about, and one that requires a balance to be carefully weighed out, as never to make light of James and any other victim of “one-punch”. Thankfully, the play is in safe hands in the form of James Graham, who once again demonstrates how exceptional he is with a faultless writing style, rich in depth and effortlessly able to switch from comedic moments to more somber moments that can hit you with a real gut-punch, perhaps fittingly enough. Where Graham shines in his writing is in his ability to bring the humanity to the forefront, retaining the very essence of what it is to be human and putting that front and centre - this is beautifully exemplified with his work in Punch, telling a tricky and complicated story and making it connect with an audience beautifully.

It is an unlikely story, and one that is made all the more resonant by the fact it is completely true. Seeing it on paper, you would imagine it would be hard to feel sympathy for Jacob in all of this, and have all of your sympathy for the victim and his parents. What Punch does phenomenally well is remind you that it isn’t so easy to write people off as “bad” - rather than saying there are good people and bad people in the world, it can be more of a grey area where many embody elements of both (several exceptions aside). This is where we discover who Jacob really is - not a bad person, just somebody who made some poor choices through circumstances, but turned it around to bring something positive into the world, countering the immeasurable loss that had gone before. Based on Dunne’s own book Right From Wrong, Graham manages to get this across in a remarkable way that has you rooting for Jacob by the time the play finishes.

Adam Penford’s direction further utilises these themes, maximising their potential and making the impact stick with you long after you leave the theatre. This is done through some fantastic choices both in the staging and the characters, all of whom have a richness to them, no matter how prominent they are in the story. With a bigger space to play with than its previous run, Punch has evolved slightly, having a glossier feel this time around, while never losing the rough and ready quality that was crucial to the authenticity of the story. Fantastic set design from Anna Fleischle comes alive with an ingenious use of lighting from Robbie Butler, where a dominating lighting rig and even a great use of fireworks make the play all the more visually pleasing. Movement also proves an important factor, with Leanna Pinder’s direction used to great effect.

Each Act of Punch is distinct to the other. The first focuses on a non-linear approach as Jacob recounts his story, moving from the past to the present with several interruptions from Joan and David. Never hard to follow, it is a clever representation of the whirlwind inside of Jacob’s head as he faces his crossroads, with an erratic approach that proves exhilarating. Act Two reverts back to a more conventional linear style as Jacob, Joan and David attempt to make sense of what has happened and find a way to move forward together. Perfectly paced, Punch brilliantly immerses you into their world so completely that it is hard to pull yourself out from it following the show’s emotional climax. It is very rare that a show ends with a message encouraging audience members to stay in their seats and reflect after a show has finished, but such is the enormity of what you witness with Punch that it feels fitting and even necessary to do so.

David Shields leads the cast as Jacob in what is one of the best performances you are likely to see in a theatre this year. Jacob is a complex individual, and Shields demonstrates this with ease, showing the very best and worst of the character and a natural growth that sparks the profound transformation. The Jacob we see in the closing moment of the play is a far cry from the one we see when the show opens - it is not always the easiest to partake in such an immense change without making it seem too sudden and unbelievable, but the subtlety in Shields’ characterisation makes it all the more real. An emotive performance as evidenced by the tears that filled Shields’ eyes throughout, he delivers a real knockout performance that  lands with a real impact.

The rest of the cast take on multiple roles throughout, managing to be family members, friends and everyone else Jacob meets along the way. Julie Hesmondhalgh gives an outstanding turn as James’ mum. Joan. A truly gifted actress, the emotion in her performance is clear to see, as is the way the character navigates her grief unexpectedly with the surprising bond she forms. Tony Hirst gives a more understated performance as James’ dad, David, only letting the emotion come out in certain moments, but always delivering an authentic characterisation. It is the dynamic the two have together that brings Punch to another level - the scenes in which the pair are on stage with Shields is theatre magic at its finest, with one prolonged sequence in the second Act so incredibly good, I could feel my heart attempting to leap out of my chest, as nobody in the audience dared utter a sound through this captivating meeting.

Emma Pallant gets some of the more demanding and versatile characters, taking on Jacob’s mum, Wendy and Sandra in three distinct performances consistent only in the quality she brings to them. Shalisha James-Davis similarly gets versatile roles as Jacob’s love interest, Clare, and restorative justice worker, Nicola, with Alec Boaden rounding out the cast with multiple roles, the most memorable of which is a turn as Jacob’s brother, Sam.

Punch is a show I fell in love with on my first visit 6 months ago, and one that has stayed with me in the months since. Sometimes, a show proves not to be quite as good the second time around, especially as you know what’s coming. That couldn’t be further from the truth with Punch. In this case, bigger really does mean better. The actors have had more time to sit with their characters and bed in their performances, meaning that characterisations that were already flawless now have a whole new earth-shattering level to them. The same can be said for the direction, with some new tweaks making this an even more perfect version of the play than the first I had seen. Hard-hitting and powerful, this is a truly important story and one that is thankfully told with sensitivity and authenticity, with the production itself being dedicated to the memory of James Hodgkinson. Proof that glimmers of light can come from the darkest of places, Punch is theatre at its very best and is, once again, a huge hit.

Punch plays at the Apollo Theatre until 29th November. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/punch-tickets 

Photos by Marc Brenner