Ashfield playwright shines spotlight on latest 'powerful' play and teases 'tough' Sherwood second series

James Graham is a highly acclaimed writer who has won multiple Olivier Awards and has been nominated for BAFTA, Emmy and Tony Awards.

James also happens to be a very welcoming and friendly guy who took some time out of his hectic schedule to speak with us about his upcoming play ‘Punch’.

Many readers may know James for being the creator of the popular BBC series, Sherwood.

The series depicts a divided police force, a relentless search, and a killer who is tormenting an already fractured Nottinghamshire community.

During a conversation about his play, we asked James what audiences can expect from the second series of Sherwood.

James explained how the second series delves into topics such as violence, rivalries, gang culture and organised crime in Nottingham – with a slight overlap with central themes of his newest play.

He said: “It is about rehabilitation, young men, and a cycle of offending and reoffending, and how they can get out of it.

“It is a tougher and harder season, but I hope it still has some of the components people loved about the first, such as its heart, characters and that kind of thing.”

Sherwood series 2 will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this year.

Speaking of character and heart, James' highly anticipated play ‘Punch’, is based on the book 'Right from Wrong' by Jacob Dunne.

The book is a true-life account of a Nottingham teenager named Jacob who throws a single punch, resulting in fatal consequences for James Hodgkinson.

According to writer James, Nottingham Playhouse director Adam Penford discovered the book through a radio programme and was so moved that he contacted Jacob to see if he would be interested in turning the story into a play.

James said he was approached about the project at a “busy time” but knew the Nottingham-centred story was a powerful one to tell.

James explained: “When I read Jacob’s book and heard his radio documentary, it moved me so much.

“I thought it was such a vivid portrait of going out down Nottingham, the culture of Nottinghamshire and a Nottingham voice.

“I could not say no.”

Protagonist Jacob lives in The Meadows, Nottingham.

Like his mates, he spends his Saturday nights drinking in the city, looking for a bit of trouble.

One adrenaline-fuelled night in Old Market Square, he throws a single punch at a stranger – with fatal consequences.

Released from prison, Jacob is lost and adrift. Searching for answers, Joan and David – the parents of his victim James – ask to meet.

An unlikely connection is made, and Jacob’s life begins to turn around.

James is no stranger to writing about Nottinghamshire’s landscape, people and culture, but aside from just being from the area, we were keen to know what it is about the county that compels the writer to creatively engage with its stories.

He said: “I had the privilege of this in Sherwood. It is to capture the voices of people I grew up with, the accent and rhythm of spoken word.

“The ‘Gallows’ humour, we have. Finding the dark humour in serious situations…

“This is a story about local institutions and social systems of Nottinghamshire.

“It felt like a good way to explore the very intuitions that run our lives, from the council, to the courts and social services.

“There is a political tone – that is an appeal.”

The former Ashfield Comprehensive School student explained how he felt a responsibility to engage audiences with serious subject matters in an entertaining manner, primarily through humour, humanity, physicality, and music.

He added: “People may think it is hard to go to the theatre these days especially when the story is traumatic like this, but it is important to tell a story that is equally entertaining and engaging, while still capturing the trauma.”

As a society, we have seen divisions in communities over the years, through violence, politics, or socioeconomic factors, but James believes that in many ways, ‘Punch’ serves as an “antidote” to the bleakness of these factors.

James said: “In this case, this is about how an offender in the form of Jacob, who caused harm to the victims – comes together with the parents of James, who he killed accidentally one night in Nottingham.

“And instead of being angry and bitter or resentful, which is a perfectly normal response, they overcome that and grieve together.

“It is a surprising and unusual story in the criminal justice system, where normally it is about punishment and revenge.

“This feels very moving to me, as it is about forgiveness and healing.”

Given the realness and rawness of the material, James said the story had to be approached with “sincerity” and a sense of “responsibility”.

He explained: “It is difficult and it should be difficult. I have to take people with me. It is not my story, not my pain and not my trauma.

“It is their trauma. You have a moral responsibility to sincerely investigate how they would feel about it.

“Whether that is Jacob putting his story on stage, or the loss felt by Joan and David Hogkinson.”

Jacob, Joan and David have been involved with the curation of the play, as James explained how they had attended rehearsals, met with the actors, spent time with the crew, and will watch a run-through of the play prior to its opening night.

When put on the spot, and asked for an acronym to sum up the Nottingham play, James was caught off guard by the task at hand, but nevertheless, offered a prompt and insightful reply.

“Powerful. Urgent. New. Cheeky. Healing.”

‘Punch’ opens at Nottingham Playhouse on May 4 and runs until May 24, 2024.