Punch Up

by Kat Sandler

Duncan has always been a pretty boring guy, leading a simple life while working at a bread factory. Then he stumbles upon Brenda, a sad young woman who’s about to end her life. Convinced he’s fallen in love, Duncan strikes up a desperate deal: if he can get her to laugh, she'll give life another shot, but if she doesn’t even giggle, he'll help her go through with her plan. There’s just one catch: Duncan isn’t funny. At all. So he borrows Pat, his second-favourite comedian, to help him come up with the perfect routine. But Pat is having a hard time mustering his sense of humour after a bad break-up, and the last thing he wants to do is teach a lonely loser the difference between knock-knock jokes and schadenfreude while chained to a typewriter.

A tragicomedy of three misfits, Punch Up navigates a hostage situation and a life-or-death comedy lesson to show just how far we’ll go for a laugh.

Genres: Plays

80 pages, Kindle Edition

First published February 27, 2017

Reviews

[Alex Cozz · Rating 5 out of 5]

In LOVED this play!! It was fantastic! Everything about it was hilarious and had me laughing out loud!!

[Frank · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although not as layered as her later "Yaga," this is diverting piece with echoes of Martin Scorsese's "The King of Comedy." Duncan kidnaps failing comedian Pat Wallace for lessons in how to be funny so he can attract the woman he loves. The attempts to teach an inherently unfunny man how to tell jokes are al highlight. It's basically one set, with three characters, so it would work well for theatres with straitened means in these difficult times for the arts.

[Rebekka Stoker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I purchased this play based on a recommendation from a dear mentor of mine; I am so glad I did! I was howling to myself page by haunting-and-hilarious page. A terrific script that you can see before you as you read.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed out loud

[Claire · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny and real.

[aliyah :] · Rating 4 out of 5]

kat sandler loves a normal guy held hostage by wacky characters. and so do i

[Sara · Rating 4 out of 5]

An extraordinarily compelling piece of theatre exploring the nature of comedy and the human condition. With a gift for natural dialogue and smooth plot progression Kat Sandler hits this one all of the park. My favourite comedic moments involved call backs to Abbot and Costello's classic Who's On First bit.

[Jaclyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laugh out loud hilarious! Funny even on the page; I'd love to see it performed!