Sucker Punch

"Right, you know the rules, watch the low blows, if it's a knock down, no messing about, go straight to your corner, and don't come out till called for, are we clear? Touch gloves, let's go." In the red corner: Leon Davidson - Black British champ or Uncle Tom? In the blue corner: Troy Augustus - American powerhouse or naïve cash cow? Having spent their youth in the same London boxing gym, vying for the favouritism of inspirational, foul-mouthed trainer Charlie Maggs, the two former friends step into the ring and face up to who they are. Boxing has dominated their lives with an unhoped-for structure and meaning, but it becomes clear that it is no substitute for their health, family, and friends. Roy Williams' Sucker Punch looks back on what it was like to be young and Black in the 80s and asks if the right battles have been fought, let alone won. With vivid characters, the play is by turns tender, shocking and funny. The boxing subject endows it with a tremendous energy and sets up strong, nuanced dialectics for the characters to tussle with. There is conflict, tension and excitement but also very real characters, drawn with sympathy and un-idealised affection.