''Sucker Punch'' is a play by the award-winning

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playwright A playwright or dramatist is a person who writes play (theatre), plays, which are a form of drama that primarily consists of dialogue between Character (arts), characters and is intended for Theatre, theatrical performance rather than just Readin ...

Roy Williams. It was first staged in 2010 at the

Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a West End theatre#London's non-commercial theatres, non-commercial theatre in Sloane Square, London, England, opene ...

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. The play was nominated for the Evening Standard Award and the

Olivier Award The Laurence Olivier Awards, or simply The Olivier Awards, are presented annually by the Society of London Theatre to recognize excellence in professional theatre in London. The awards were originally known as the Society of West End Theatre Aw ...

for Best New Play.

Plot

Set in a run-down London

boxing ring A boxing ring, often referred to simply as a ring or the squared circle, is the space in which a boxing match occurs. A modern ring consists of a square raised platform with a post at each corner. Four ropes are attached to the posts and pulled p ...

in the 1980s, two young black boys, Leon and Troy, are trained by a white trainer, Charlie, who had seen their potential. Troy soon rebels and is ejected from the gym by Charlie; he moves to the United States where he gains a boxing reputation. Charlie's daughter and Leon begin an affair, but when Charlie discovers this he objects at the idea of his daughter associating with a black man, forcing Leon to choose between training and his daughter. Leon leaves her and attempts to ingratiate himself with the white community to the fury of his family. Later, Troy returns with a fake American accent and a manipulative new manager; he and Leon are forced to

fight Combat (French language, French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent Conflict (process), conflict between multiple combatants with the intent to harm the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapons) or unarmed (Hand-to-hand combat, not usin ...

Cast

* Gary Beadle *

Daniel Kaluuya Daniel Kaluuya (; born 24 February 1989) is an English actor. His work encompasses both screen and stage, and List of awards and nominations received by Daniel Kaluuya, his accolades include an Academy Awards, Academy Award, two British Academy ...

* Trevor Laird * Nigel Lindsay * Jason Maza *Sarah Ridgeway * Anthony Welsh

Premiere

The play, staged in 2010 at the

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's ''Jerwood Theatre Downstairs'' in

, was directed by Sacha Wares. It received positive reviews with particular attention drawn to the young star

who won both the 2010 Critics Circle and Evening Standard Award for ''Outstanding Newcomer''. The play also starred Anthony Welsh, Gary Beadle, Nigel Lindsay, Trevor Laird, Jason Maza and Sarah Ridgeway. The play's set, where the downstairs theatre was converted into a boxing ring, was designed by Miriam Buether who won the Evening Standard Award 2010 for ''Best Designer''. Leon Baugh's choreography for the play won him the

for Best Theatre Choreographer."Leon Baugh Named Best Theatre Choreographer"
''Olivier Awards'', 13 March 2011. Retrieved 2011-03-14. Williams won the 2010 Alfred Fagon Award, his second, for the play.

References

{{reflist 2010 plays English plays Fiction set in the 1980s Plays set in London Plays about race and ethnicity Plays about sport