Punch on Broadway Tickets
About Punch
Set an alert for when Punch tickets go on sale to see James Graham's stunning new play about one man's path toward redemption. Punch plays on Broadway next season in a thrilling production straight from England. Running at Manhattan Theatre Club's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, Graham's New York premiere follows Jacob as he tears through Nottingham and a life of drugs, girls, and bar fights that all land him in jail. But will a chance encounter with a dead victim's parents change his life?
Experience Punch in New York City to see the latest play from the acclaimed author of Ink. Adam Penford directs Graham’s “most moving work yet,” per The Times of London, and the play is based on a true story of a lethal one-punch crime, the devastating aftermath, and the hope that ultimately followed. See Punch on Broadway to catch what London Theatre calls a "shattering play."
Punch cast and creative team
By: James Graham, based on the book Right from Wrong by Jacob Dunne
Director: Adam Penford
Producer: Manhattan Theatre Club
Venue
Accessibility
Elevator access, wheelchair access, assisted listening devices, on-demand closed captioning, open captioning, audio description, Braille and large print Playbills
More information about Punch
Punch, a New York premiere, is based on the true-life book Right from Wrong by Jacob Dunne. Graham was inspired by the moving, brutally honest story and adapted it for the stage. Now, the jolting play comes to the States in a production that is association with Nottingham Playhouse.
Nottingham is its own character in the play, as it is the playground the protagonist, Jacob, wanders as he finds and does drugs, sleeps with random women, and, unstable, gets into violent bar fights. After landing in jail for one crime that turned deadly, he is offered a unique chance at salvation: a meeting with the parents of a victim he killed. Can the consequences of his actions also be the building blocks for a new life?
Playwright James Graham is not interested in easy answers, and in having audiences spend time with a character they usually don't see on stage, Graham hopes to illuminate the gray areas within all of us that drive self-questioning and change.
What to watch for
- Based on Jacob Dunne's memoir, Graham’s play recounts how trainee paramedic James Hodgkinson was killed on a night out in Nottingham in 2011 through a single punch to the head, delivered by the then 19-year-old Jacob.
- London Theatre wrote, "With Graham at the wheel, it is no surprise that Punch is full of messages about social politics, from the redevelopment of council estates to the redistribution of local government funds."
- Audiences can expect a specific look at a working-class world in which economics, culture, and politics collide that dictate one family's grief and one man's redemption.
- Director Adam Penford is also the artistic director of Nottingham Playhouse, who is also producing this New York show.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get tickets for Punch?
Check the top of this page for current availability and exclusive offers on Punch tickets on TodayTix.
Which theatre is Punch at?
Punch is at New York's Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, which is located at 261 West 47th Street, New York, 10036.
What is Punch about?
Punch follows Jacob after a whirlwind of drugs, sex, and violence leads him to prison — but also to the parents of the boy he killed, ultimately changing the course of his life.
Who wrote Punch?
James Graham, author of Ink, wrote the play. His Olivier Award-winning play Dear England, about Gareth Southgate’s transformation of the national football team, had a sold out run at the National in 2023.
Who directs Punch?
Nottingham Playhouse artistic director Adam Penford stages this premiere.
Is Punch appropriate for kids?
The recommended age for Punch is ages 12+.
Is Punch good?
The play is coming to the States because of its acclaimed London bow, and The Times of London called it Graham's "most moving work yet” while London Theatre Guide called it "shattering."
Apple, the Apple logo, iPhone, and iPad are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.