TDF Stages

Will Harrison makes an impactful Broadway debut as a young hellion whose fatal mistake leads to his redemption

---

Punch really packs an emotional wallop. Written by Tony-nominated British playwright James Graham (Ink) and based on Jacob Dunne's powerful memoir Right from Wrong: My Story of Guilt and Redemption, the play centers on an angry and aimless young man from Nottingham, England, who decks and kills a stranger one drink-and-drug-fueled night. The ensemble drama delves into Jacob's life before and after the incident and how connecting with his victim's parents set him on a path to salvation. Following celebrated runs in England, Punch is now on Broadway at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in a new production directed by Adam Penford for Manhattan Theatre Club. The show runs through Sunday, November 2 and the final week of performances will also be live-streamed.

Making his Broadway debut as Jacob, up-and-comer Will Harrison (Amazon Prime's Daisy Jones & the Six, the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown) gives a kinetic, tour-de-force performance, rarely leaving the stage as he narrates this poignant tale. Initially a raucous roller coaster, the vibe completely shifts as Jacob comes to terms with what he's done and the impact of his heedless violence. Many tears are shed, both onstage and in the audience, but the sense of uplift is also palpable.

TDF Stages spoke with Harrison about starring in such an intense show, meeting the man he plays and why he's so great at that Nottingham accent.

Francesca Ricci: You graduated from Carnegie Mellon School of Drama in 2019 and soon started booking TV roles, notably a '70s rocker in Daisy Jones & the Six and David Herold, an accomplice of Abraham Lincoln assassin John Wilkes Booth in Manhunt. But is the stage your first love?

Will Harrison: I definitely say it's my first love, and I've always had my sights set on Broadway. It certainly always has been a goal. I think a lot of us growing up are exposed to movies and TV as an example of a career in acting. It seems shiny and mysterious and fun, and that's always a goal as well, but the way that you get into acting as a young person is theatre.

Ricci: Punch marks your Broadway debut, and you're working with some celebrated theatre veterans such as two-time Tony winner Victoria Clark and Sam Robards. Have they been helpful?

Harrison: They have been so kind and helpful. As I have these first-time jitters a little bit, they have really been able to calm me down and make me feel like everyone has each other's backs. They've led by example and they really kind of elevate the whole company with their experience.

Ricci: James Graham's play is based on Jacob Dunne's memoir about his criminal justice journey. Were you able to meet Jacob and did that influence how you portray him onstage?

Harrison: I had the great opportunity to go to Nottingham and spend the day with Jacob. I did a tour around the city and visited a lot of the places where the events took place, which was really invaluable in terms of creating the imaginative world of the play. Getting time with Jacob to observe his mannerisms and the way he speaks and just the way he exists was super helpful. There's always a bit of pressure when it comes to playing a real person. But having done it a couple of times before, I've also learned that there comes a point when you have to accept the fact that you are playing a real person in this version of the story, and that real person is you. So, take as much as you can from the real person and their experience and their mannerisms, but also be as true to yourself as possible. That's what's really going to get the story to land at the end of the day.

Ricci: Did you get a chance to see the show in the UK, where it's been such a hit, it recently transferred to London's West End?

Harrison: I didn't get to see the show, but I watched an archival recording from the original Nottingham Playhouse production on the director's suggestion. Initially, there might be an instinct to shy away from how someone else did it, but in the long run, seeing that show and knowing that ours would be so close to it, put me weeks ahead in terms of the process, and answered so many questions that I would have had in the room. I also learned so much from David Shields' performance. He's fantastic in the role and gave me so many things that I wanted to do and clued me in to things that I wanted to do differently.

Ricci: The New York Times recently published a fascinating piece about how a restorative justice program connected Jacob with the parents of the man he killed. How much did you know about restorative justice before you started working on Punch?

Harrison: I knew next to nothing about restorative justice. It's been a really eye-opening experience, having this exposure to it through such a specific story. Once you learn about the way that it works and its goals, it's really hard to imagine another way to do it. It's really focused on healing for all the parties involved, and understanding and acceptance, both from a victim's standpoint and a perpetrator's standpoint.

Ricci: Punch is a hard show to shake. What about Jacob's journey will you carry with you after the show closes?

Harrison: I think from Jacob's story, specifically as written by James Graham, who's such a wonderful writer, the thing that will stick with me is his capacity to grow and change. It's a really admirable thing to witness, both in reading the script and performing the play, that someone can really evolve if they put their heart and mind to it. It's really not an impossible thing. Yes, it's a hard thing, and it's a muscular thing, and it's not an easy thing to reprogram certain parts of yourself, but it's worth putting some serious effort into. I think that is what audiences can take away as well, and it's a really hopeful story because of that.

Ricci: Your Nottingham accent sounds so authentic! What's it like doing it at every performance?

Harrison: It's such a trip. I grew up obsessed with a lot of British films; it was always something that I had played with. It was certainly a big leap in a very specific dialect, but it's also been in my DNA for so long. So finally having the chance to tackle it is such a fun experience.

Ricci: Do you have any dream theatre roles? Perhaps there's even a musical in your future?

Harrison: I've learned that the best way through this industry is to release a lot of expectations and just jump at any opportunities that come. Musicals are certainly something that I'm always interested in. I love rock music. I love playing guitar, so stuff that could involve that would be really cool. I'm always keeping an eye open and just waiting for that next thing that grabs my attention that I think I could actually add value to.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

---

TDF MEMBERS: At press time, discount tickets were available for Punch. Go here to browse our latest discounts for dance, theatre and concerts.

Punch is frequently available at our TKTS Discount Booths.