Interview by Madeleine Ringer
Following a true story around consequence and restorative justice, David Shields plays Jacob Dunne, who must live with himself after accidentally killing a man. Based on James Dunne’s memoir, Right from Wrong, James Graham’s PUNCH offers audiences an emotional production, filled with depth and grace. Known for his on-screen work in Black Mirror, The Crown, and Masters of the Air, Shields is about to make an undeniable mark in theatre.
Congrats on PUNCH moving to the West End! How do you think the space and the new crowd will shift the show, and vice versa?
Each space has had a unique feel to it; in Nottingham, you had the lovely warmth of an audience that could relate so well to the story in terms of the language, the slang, and the place names. Many people there remembered when it happened, and even knew the people involved, so that led to a very strong connection. The Young Vic crowd, I think, are audiences that regularly watch theatre and new work at multiple subsidised venues, so they were very attentive, but in a different way. In the West End, I’m looking forward to us having a broader range of people coming – and in particular a lot more young people and school children, who will inevitably react to different things. The ones we’ve had so far have found it really engaging – it’s a very accessible piece - and so, it’s exciting to think of the possibility of getting young people excited about theatre. In terms of the staging in the space, I think little will change, although we might have to work our necks a little harder to get up to those folks in the gods!
For anyone who hasn’t yet seen the play, how would you describe your character, Jacob Dunne, and the show’s setting?
The true story is set in the Meadows Estate in south Nottingham, and follows Jacob, a young man who gets caught up in gang culture and spends his weekends seeking thrills with his mates and getting into fights, until one fateful night he throws a punch which ends a man’s life. The play then tells the story of the consequences he faces from that, and the relationship he builds with the parents of the boy he killed.
PUNCH showcases an incredibly powerful narrative of masculinity, and beyond that, a moving exploration of humanity. Is there anything you’ve learnt, about yourself or life, in playing the main role in such a play?
I think I’ve learnt that forgiveness isn’t some lofty, saintly exercise, that it’s a hard thing, a thing with teeth, and sometimes it’s the only option left when nothing else has worked. When you’ve tried anger and resentment and everything else, that it isn’t something simply for the other person, but can be fundamental to your own healing process. And then, I suppose, I see in Jacob Dunne the extraordinary example of someone whose actions have led to the worst possible outcome, and yet has managed to turn his life around, and make the absolute best of it. And so, it’s inspiring to think that no matter what you’ve done, there’s always some way you can make amends - if not completely, then at least in part.
