Review: PUNCH ME THEN, John Lyon’s Theatre - Camden Fringe
Photo credit: Chamara SKG Photography
Writer and performer Nicole Abraham has arrived. A fearless and thought-provoking new playwright, Abraham has set herself one of the most intimidating tasks for any actor; a solo show, portraying multiple parts in a non-stop 60 minutes, tackling big subject matters and she more than pulls it off.
In its world premiere as part of the Camden Fringe 2026, the provocatively named Punch Me Then sees Abraham cast herself as Lila, an English Literature high school teacher, passionate about her vocation and the belief that she can be an influential educator who can turn her wayward pupils' destinies around by engaging them in debate over classic literature. She principally uses the character of Eva Smith from An Inspector Calls as a main discussion point on the treatment of women, but the misogyny and lack of empathy from her students trigger a painful memory from her past.
At a time when misogyny is on the rise in wider society and questions are being raised about the increase of negative influences on young males, an English Literature class is the perfect setting to examine status between boys and girls across different ages and backgrounds. At the start, Lila feels like a no-nonsense leader who you really hope can inspire and change these young minds, but she soon questions whether life as a prison guard may be easier than that of a teacher.
At this point, you may be wondering how one solo performer can convincingly convey a classroom of students. The answer is two-fold. Firstly, Abraham skilfully and effortlessly switches between her teacher-narrator, Lila, and two self-assured, feisty students: one an opinionated and challenging girl, the other a wise-cracking boy. Abraham breathes full life into all ofher characters with great physicality, believable dialogue and tone, and a frenetic dynamism that sees her weave between the tightly packed desks like a whirling dervish, word-perfect at every point.
The second clever conceit is that the other desks in this studio space are populated by audience members, invited just before the start of the play to become active participants in the drama. This is an inspired choice from director Toby Clarke. In an age when on-stage seating and immersive theatre are so in vogue, Clarke further pushes Abraham's command of her classroom stage by having her direct and interact with her ‘students’. She sets the participants mini writing assignments and has them read passages of novels aloud, making us all feel like teenagers back at school. As a performer, she is completely in control of the room, even if Lila isn’t always, and we hang on her every word as she switches from great one-line barbs to shocking revelations of abuse and injustice.
Nicole Abraham has arrived, and she demands our attention. With remarkable skill, she transforms a simple classroom setting into a battleground for ideas, never losing control of either her audience or her argument. Punch Me Then is a timely, urgent piece of theatre that challenges us to confront uncomfortable truths about the world young people are inheriting.
*****. Five stars
Reviewed by: Phil Meikle
