A multi-media adaptation of a graphic novel; "Mr. Punch" features masks, puppets, video projection, and a story of haunting memories as a child tries to make sense of his world.

I had seen a previous Rogue Artists production and enjoyed the well designed show with a cheeky sense of humor.

This play certainly had plenty to look at, mostly taking place at an English coastal city's amusement center with a side-show mermaid and the central Punch & Judy puppet show. All of these theatrical elements integrated well with the production and were a welcome change from the simple black box performances that many plays become due to limited budgets.

My enjoyment of the story was hindered by an unspoken twist of an unwanted pregnancy in the second half that the boy was not supposed to understand -- but the mystery unfortunately remained so for both my friend and I as we watched the action unravel.

Sometimes the dream-like style of the play worked well, other times it simply came across as slow.

The acting was uneven. The biggest challenge is having a child at the center, requiring good casting of rare talent to hold everything together. The boy was OK, but his accent and timing came and went throughout the evening.

However, the way that memories and dreams jumble around in our heads to help us figure things out was well explored and constantly interesting to watch unfold.

And a traditional Punch & Judy show is pretty creepy, and the play explores that successfully.

My favorite images of the night were a background shadow play of devils and crocodiles rising from the depths, and the simple gesture of the mermaid tenderly removing the boy's mask to make a more direct and human connection.

Wtih a little more polish, this could be a really great play. As is, it is an admirable accomplishment.

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A multi-media extravaganza -- as only Mr. Gaiman can supply!! My 19-year-old son and I both had a wonderful time - very highly recommended!!

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What a great show!

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A fantastic array of sets and costumes almost, but not quite, save this poorly directed, horridly acted show. While forcing itself to stay too close to the book, the script is confusing and unintelligible. It never took its own form and therefore required already knowing the story (word for word) in order to understand even the most basic of plot points (and even then, much was muddled and the wrong parts emphasized or elongated). Melodramatic and amateur I found myself pleading for it to be over.
A small light in the dark was Tom Ashworth who, when not trying to voice Mr. Punch, has a very endearing vocal and physical quality. Lucas Salazar and Nina Silver were fine actors, but their parts were forced and unnecessary. As their importance was never given, they left us wondering who they were and why we were bothering to see them. The actors often took long moments to improvise which felt forced, sad and boring. Their accents left me cringing and the reason for them not worth the pain of listening to them, the young boy, Dalton O'Dell, especially.
Over all, if you feel the desire to see this, make sure you do not pay full price, and even then, please go to some bookstore and buy it instead. There's meaning in this story, don't let this catastrophic work turn you off finding it for yourself.
That being said, props go to Joyce Hutter and Patrick Rubio with a slight nod to Joel David as it was visually dreamlike. Dave McKean is hard to capture and they did a beautiful job with the masks and puppets especially. The sets were sometimes lost, but sometimes rather nice. Over all, I would like very much to wander them like a circus sideshow rather than be forced to see them used in this way.

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