Interview: The Dads of Punch—Sam Robards, Tony Hirst, and the Real David Hodgkinson

Sam Robards and Tony Hirst seem, at first, to have different personalities. Hirst is chatty and gregarious, while Robards is a bit reserved, a trait no doubt inherited from his famous parents, Lauren Bacall and Jason Robards. And yet, when it comes to talking about the play they’re in — James Graham’s searing drama Punch — and the role they share, whatever walls there are come down.

Punch is the true story of how a the unprovoked one-punch death of a random stranger led to an unexpected reconciliation between the perpetrator and the victim’s parents. Hirst originated the role of the victim’s father, David, in the UK and now plays the role in the West End. Robards plays David on Broadway at the Friedman Theatre.

On a Zoom call, they were joined by the real David Hodgkinson to discuss how the importance of telling the story comes before everything else.

This conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

David, I want to hear from your perspective how you felt when James Graham said that he was turning this story into a play.
David Hodgkinson: I was shocked when I first heard that. I mean, it’s not something you expect. Getting your head around the fact that it was gonna happen was probably the hardest thing. And the whole bizarre thing of watching someone play you on stage; well, now, two guys play me on stage. It takes a while to get used to, it really does.

There are a lot of issues [in the play] that people really don’t have any depth of knowledge about, highlighting the dangers of one-punch, the problems of youngsters getting into gangs, drug-dealing, and the whole restorative justice angle, which is so important. So many people don’t know anything about restorative justice. They don’t know a lot about one-punch, either. The play is opening that world up to so many people and they go away thinking about it. And I think that can only be a good thing.

Sam Robards: The first time I read it, I didn’t know anything about one-punch. I did have some experience with restorative justice. I managed to meet some survivors of the Rwandan genocide when I was doing The Overwhelming and they’ve been practicing a form of restorative justice in Rwanda. The perpetrator and the victim get together, and they’re surrounded by the community and a small group of elders. It’s a very different thing.

Tony Hirst: I think it was right that David was slightly suspicious, in some respects, that it was done properly and for the right reasons. It’s never about us when we do the play. It’s always about serving James’s legacy; that’s the foremost thing. And then representing Joan, David, Nicola, Wendy, and Jacob, the real protagonists, with as much authenticity and honesty as possible. I think that’s what the audience really responds to.

Sam: I agree with Tony; any personal or professional benefit one might gain from this is a secondary consideration. The main thing is honoring James’s memory and doing right by David and Joan and their families. And there’s nowhere to hide in this play. It forces you to remove all ego and just be as honest as you can be, because the audience can tell right away if you’re faking it. It’s rare that you get to be in a play that’s as important as this.

How is it to perform the show when you know that David and Joan are in the audience?
David: I’m putting myself in your place; I can’t imagine how much pressure it does put on you, to see the person you’re playing watching you play them.

Sam: I was terrified. I was so worried David was gonna collar me after the show and be like “I would never do such and such.” I wanna do right by them. Happily, it was a lovely time, and I’m very grateful to you for coming over and supporting us in that way.

David: Not at all. Everyone was so kind to us and made us feel welcome. And you’ve done a fantastic job with the production.

Tony: It’s great to hear, Sam, that our sensibilities are aligned, and that the story is in safe hands. That fills me with joy that you’re the custodians of it that side. Because it’s not always the case, as you know, with actors, especially when they get a great part and a great production. They can very quickly disappear up their own backsides with it.

Sam: Everyone’s committed to telling the story in the way that it deserves to be told. All it takes is one person who is not doing it for the right reasons, and it can become difficult. But yeah, we’re really lucky.

Tony: I think, at the beginning, when we found out that it was going to Broadway with a different cast, we were very protective of our production. But we realized that it’s important that this story is told and as far and wide as possible. That’s why it’s so reassuring to hear that they share our ethos and that their aim is the same as ours. This story will be told by hundreds of actor, hopefully, over time, and those versions are all valid because the structure of James Graham’s writing is impeccable, and the story of Joan, David, and Jacob is so remarkable at its core.

And, ultimately, me and Sam aren’t doing an impersonation of David. There was a moment in rehearsal. David was seven feet away from me, and I can see him, and I know I’ve got this line coming up about the last thing he said to James. And I thought, “Who the hell am I to deliver that line when David is there?” I felt like a complete fraud and profoundly uncomfortable. I found it crassly insensitive. But actually, that is our job as actors. We have to play the line and used our imagination, and therefore, I have to make sure the authenticity of my choice is as robust as it can be to serve David.

David: I think that is a very powerful line. And it’s the hardest part of the show for me to watch, without a doubt. And it is what I said. And I still have problems with that. It’s what you would say, isn’t it? What else would you say to somebody that’s going through an operation? You reassure. But it’s the hardest part of the show for me to watch. And I know all of us have bits that we find difficult to deal with. But it’s an important part of it.

I’m curious, Sam and Tony, what it’s like for you both as dads to perform this show night after night, given what David—person and character—goes through.
Sam: I don’t ever use substitution; in my estimation, it’s not a wise thing. But I think about my kids all the time. I have three boys and any one of them could have been on either side of the equation. I could have been. One of my sons hasn’t seen it yet; he’s coming with another one who has, and it’s a little extra difficult when they’re there, but it’s good.

Tony: When we started in Nottingham, I’d just lost my dad, and my son had just become a dad to a son, so that kind of male lineage was coursing through my heart and soul all the time.

Sam: My eldest has a son, as well.

Tony: Juggling what I learned from my dad and then what I passed onto my son and seeing him become a dad, that whole thing is very present every night.