Punch

Punch returns to Nottingham Playhouse from Monday 25 January to Saturday 6 February 2027, after a run that's taken it well beyond the city. It's written by Olivier Award-winner James Graham, who's also behind Dear England, This House, and the BBC's Sherwood, and it's an adaptation of the book Right from Wrong by Jacob Dunne.

The play follows Dunne, a teenager from The Meadows here in Nottingham, whose life changed after an impulsive punch in Old Market Square led to fatal consequences. After serving a prison sentence, he met Joan and David, the parents of his victim, James, and that meeting sparked a profound transformation. It's billed as a story of hope, humanity and the possibility of change, and the production is described as high-energy and deeply moving. The Telegraph called it another state-of-the-nation masterpiece. It's inspired by a true story, though some characters and events have been fictionalised.

This isn't the play's first time on the Playhouse stage. It premiered here in 2024, then ran at the Young Vic and transferred to the West End and Broadway in autumn 2025, before coming back to Nottingham as a stop on its UK tour. Director Adam Penford, who's also the Playhouse's Artistic Director, returns with the original creative team.

Tickets are £14.50 to £46.50, with members' discounts and a non-refundable £2.50 booking fee per order. Press night is Thursday 28 January at 7pm, and there's a Pay What You Can performance on Wednesday 27 January at 7.30pm. Post-show discussions follow the 7.30pm performances on Wednesday 27 January and Wednesday 4 February.