In the library of a grammar school, eight sixth-formers are preparing for their mock-A Levels and nearing the end of their school lives. There are various sub-plots detailing the various love lines or triangles that emerge through the play.
Characters
Other productions
Haptic Theatre Company performed the play in Dylan Thomas' Boathouse on 5 and 6 April 2013, directed by Elinor Richards. Bennet Francis was played by Oliver Selby and Chadwick Meade by Ollie Goulstone.
La Joven Compañía from Madrid produced the first Spanish production of Punk Rock directed by José Luis Arellano and adapted by José Luis Collado, opening on 11 November 2014 at Centro Cultural Conde Duque. This production was listed as candidate for Premios MAX 2015 as Best Outstanding Production.
The Nottingham New Theatre produced a production in their 2014 Autumn Season, directed by Bridie Rollins and Lara Tysseling.
The play made its Edinburgh Fringe return on 24 August 2015 by Theatre Company 'The Pigeon Collective'. The production received a five star review from 'Broadway Baby' and made it into the Top Rated Shows of 2015 at Edinburgh Fringe http://www.broadwaybaby.com/shows/punk-rock-by-simon-stephens/708183
The Fortune Theatre produced this play, opening 27 June 2015, directed by Lara Macgregor.
The french company Summer Lemonade produced punk rock at Avignon festival in 2019, directed by Marc Derville. It was the first time a Simon Stephens play was produced in Avignon. They received critical acclaim for their production
Patalog Theatre Co. premiered the play in Melbourne for the first time professionally at fortyfivedownstairs in December of 2019. The play received wide critical acclaim with critics calling it "A masterful re-working. Unmissable.".
Reception
The premiere received generally positive reviews with Variety saying "confirms Simon Stephens as one of the most important and exciting British playwrights working today". The play has also been nominated for the 2010 TMA Best New Play award. It was also well received by The Guardian, the Crikey blog, The Times and others. Some critics have criticised Stephens for unoriginality, however. For example, Leo Benedictus, writing for the guardian in 2009, said "The critics spot various possible influences such as The History Boys, Another Country, Lord of the Flies, Elephant, If…, Skins, and The Catcher in the Rye."
Legacy
Identity Crisis
Punk Rock inspired Identity Crisis, a drama and philosophy project, exploring the play's themes with young people in London and Manchester.
Teaching
Punk Rock is frequently used in Drama education in sixth form and sometimes at GCSE level in England, as well as a few other places around the world. There have been multiple student productions of the play, some of which the play's author, Simon Stephens, has attended.
