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When considering the impact of James Graham’s latest ‘state-of-the-nation masterpiece’[1], Punch, it truly is a case of ‘it does what it says on the tin’. The play tells the true story of a teenager, Jacob Dunne, who was convicted of manslaughter after throwing a single but lethal punch at a stranger, 28-year-old James Hodgkinson, on a night out in Nottingham in July 2011. Punch takes you on a journey from Jacob’s descent into gang culture to his ultimate redemption through the power of restorative justice. The emotion conveyed on stage of what can only be described as a living nightmare hits the audience like a blow to the gut.
Following two sell-out runs at the Nottingham Playhouse last year and the Young Vic this spring, Punch is now bound for the West End and Broadway later this year. It is of note that one of the most recent British theatrical successes is centred around restorative justice, a form of collective resolution that we, perhaps, as practitioners do not give a significant amount of thought to in our day-to-day working lives. Punch teaches us a great deal about restorative justice that could challenge the way that we perceive our roles and purpose in the myriad system we work in.
Restorative justice is an approach to justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by criminal behaviour or conflict, rather than simply punishing the offender. It emphasises accountability, the need to make amends, and – when possible – reconciliation between the person who caused the harm and those affected by it. In this process, offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions, while the primary goal becomes addressing the needs of victims, restoring damaged relationships, and healing the wider community.
One of the lessons the Punch teaches us is that restorative justice is a humanising process. The play explores what it means to peel back the scowling mugshots of defendants with which we are all familiar in media coverage. It tells a story of how a young man, with hopes, dreams and hurts, ends up being sucked into gang culture that glorifies mindless violence. Punch empathetically explores how Jacob, who is emblematic of the ‘angry young man’ (now at the forefront of national consciousness with the story told in Netflix’s Adolescence), is a product of his environment. Punch examines why young men equate masculinity with violence in an expansive way, and challenges the audience to try to understand why Jacob threw the fatal punch on that fateful night. Understanding underpins restorative justice, and the play also follows the parents of Dunne’s victim into trying to understand the man behind the ‘monster’ who took away their beloved son.
Punch masterfully plays with time, weaving the victim’s parents, Joan and David, story – from learning of their son’s death to deciding to meet the man who killed their son – with that of Jacob. By the time James’ parents and Jacob meet, the audience have been taken through the many complexions of the emotional journey that Joan and David take towards forgiveness. The play teaches us the road to restorative justice is not a linear one, nor may it necessarily end in a neat resolution. It portrays the realities of what it is like for victims’ families to process trauma and goes beyond the pictures that we see on the news of loved ones huddled behind their lawyers addressing a press scrum outside of court.
Another counter-cultural string to Punch’s bow is the fact that the role and value of organisations that facilitate restorative justice are front and centre of the play. Public awareness about restorative justice is generally low, and restorative justice services are inadequately funded.[2] Yet, research has shown that restorative justice is not only cost-effective (saving £9 for the criminal justice system to every £1 invested in it), but lowers re-offending rates significantly.[3] Through the relentless pain that Punch so beautifully portrays, there is a story of hope and empowerment, for both the victim’s family and Jacob. Punch teaches us that a victim-centred approach to addressing harm caused by crime does not have to be solely through the punishment of offenders. In the play, we see Joan and David empowered by the agency they have to confront their pain on their own terms, and the influence they have to help ensure that another young man’s life is not wasted. It also teaches us that offenders also have agency and dignity through the restorative justice process. We learn that Jacob, like many young men in his position, has been let down by the institutions that were meant to serve him. Excluded from school, Jacob did not have the chance to complete his GCSEs. One of the high points of Punch is seeing the support Joan and David give to Jacob as he continues his education when he leaves prison and eventually attains a degree. The love Joan and David have for their son lives on in the pride they have in Jacob’s achievements.
Punch is a story of radical justice, articulated through James’ Graham’s signature poetic realism and brought to life by a small, yet mighty cast. Sometimes it is good to remind ourselves that justice is not merely contained in the words of statute, but that it is dynamic, living, breathing, life-changing and, sometimes, achieved by creative means. If you have a heart for justice, in all its forms, Punch is a play you cannot miss when it returns later this year.
Punch by James Graham is based on the book Right From Wrong by Jacob Dunne. Following sold-out runs at Nottingham Playhouse (4-25 May 2024) and Young Vic, London (1 March-26 Apr 2025), Punch transfers to the West End at the Apollo Theatre from 22 September to 29 November 2025. The play is dedicated to James Hodgkinson and all victims of one-punch.
Yasmin Omotosho is a tenant at 7BR, where she has a multi-disciplinary practice.
When considering the impact of James Graham’s latest ‘state-of-the-nation masterpiece’[1], Punch, it truly is a case of ‘it does what it says on the tin’. The play tells the true story of a teenager, Jacob Dunne, who was convicted of manslaughter after throwing a single but lethal punch at a stranger, 28-year-old James Hodgkinson, on a night out in Nottingham in July 2011. Punch takes you on a journey from Jacob’s descent into gang culture to his ultimate redemption through the power of restorative justice. The emotion conveyed on stage of what can only be described as a living nightmare hits the audience like a blow to the gut.
Following two sell-out runs at the Nottingham Playhouse last year and the Young Vic this spring, Punch is now bound for the West End and Broadway later this year. It is of note that one of the most recent British theatrical successes is centred around restorative justice, a form of collective resolution that we, perhaps, as practitioners do not give a significant amount of thought to in our day-to-day working lives. Punch teaches us a great deal about restorative justice that could challenge the way that we perceive our roles and purpose in the myriad system we work in.
Restorative justice is an approach to justice that focuses on repairing the harm caused by criminal behaviour or conflict, rather than simply punishing the offender. It emphasises accountability, the need to make amends, and – when possible – reconciliation between the person who caused the harm and those affected by it. In this process, offenders are encouraged to take responsibility for their actions, while the primary goal becomes addressing the needs of victims, restoring damaged relationships, and healing the wider community.
One of the lessons the Punch teaches us is that restorative justice is a humanising process. The play explores what it means to peel back the scowling mugshots of defendants with which we are all familiar in media coverage. It tells a story of how a young man, with hopes, dreams and hurts, ends up being sucked into gang culture that glorifies mindless violence. Punch empathetically explores how Jacob, who is emblematic of the ‘angry young man’ (now at the forefront of national consciousness with the story told in Netflix’s Adolescence), is a product of his environment. Punch examines why young men equate masculinity with violence in an expansive way, and challenges the audience to try to understand why Jacob threw the fatal punch on that fateful night. Understanding underpins restorative justice, and the play also follows the parents of Dunne’s victim into trying to understand the man behind the ‘monster’ who took away their beloved son.
Punch masterfully plays with time, weaving the victim’s parents, Joan and David, story – from learning of their son’s death to deciding to meet the man who killed their son – with that of Jacob. By the time James’ parents and Jacob meet, the audience have been taken through the many complexions of the emotional journey that Joan and David take towards forgiveness. The play teaches us the road to restorative justice is not a linear one, nor may it necessarily end in a neat resolution. It portrays the realities of what it is like for victims’ families to process trauma and goes beyond the pictures that we see on the news of loved ones huddled behind their lawyers addressing a press scrum outside of court.
Another counter-cultural string to Punch’s bow is the fact that the role and value of organisations that facilitate restorative justice are front and centre of the play. Public awareness about restorative justice is generally low, and restorative justice services are inadequately funded.[2] Yet, research has shown that restorative justice is not only cost-effective (saving £9 for the criminal justice system to every £1 invested in it), but lowers re-offending rates significantly.[3] Through the relentless pain that Punch so beautifully portrays, there is a story of hope and empowerment, for both the victim’s family and Jacob. Punch teaches us that a victim-centred approach to addressing harm caused by crime does not have to be solely through the punishment of offenders. In the play, we see Joan and David empowered by the agency they have to confront their pain on their own terms, and the influence they have to help ensure that another young man’s life is not wasted. It also teaches us that offenders also have agency and dignity through the restorative justice process. We learn that Jacob, like many young men in his position, has been let down by the institutions that were meant to serve him. Excluded from school, Jacob did not have the chance to complete his GCSEs. One of the high points of Punch is seeing the support Joan and David give to Jacob as he continues his education when he leaves prison and eventually attains a degree. The love Joan and David have for their son lives on in the pride they have in Jacob’s achievements.
Punch is a story of radical justice, articulated through James’ Graham’s signature poetic realism and brought to life by a small, yet mighty cast. Sometimes it is good to remind ourselves that justice is not merely contained in the words of statute, but that it is dynamic, living, breathing, life-changing and, sometimes, achieved by creative means. If you have a heart for justice, in all its forms, Punch is a play you cannot miss when it returns later this year.
Punch by James Graham is based on the book Right From Wrong by Jacob Dunne. Following sold-out runs at Nottingham Playhouse (4-25 May 2024) and Young Vic, London (1 March-26 Apr 2025), Punch transfers to the West End at the Apollo Theatre from 22 September to 29 November 2025. The play is dedicated to James Hodgkinson and all victims of one-punch.
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