PUNCH Previews

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/8/25 at 12:00am

Broadway doesn’t know what’s about to hit ‘em.

Based on a true story, the new play Punch starts previews tomorrow night (September 9) at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre. Written by James Graham, the show has a cast that features Will Harrison, Camila Canó-Flaviá, Victoria Clark, Cody Kostro, Piter Marek, Sam Robards, and Lucy Taylor. Punch — which will be premiering simultaneously in the West End this fall — opens on September 29 for a limited engagement through November 2; Adam Penford directs.

“As Jacob tears through Nottingham in a whirlwind of drugs, girls, and bar fights, he makes a fatal mistake that lands him in prison. But as he struggles to accept the consequences of his actions and build a new life, he finds an unusual source of salvation: the parents of the boy he killed.”

Who’s going?

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 9/8/25 at 12:43am

This sounds fascinating. 

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 9/8/25 at 5:28am

Going next week! Very much looking forward to it.

[NotCarylChurchill2]

Posted: 9/8/25 at 9:23am

I am going on Wednesday and again on opening night.

 

It's a beautiful show and I can't wait to see what American audiences make of it.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/9/25 at 5:06pm

MTC says 2:30 runtime, including a 15-minute intermission.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/9/25 at 11:31pm

Did anyone see this one tonight?

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 9/9/25 at 11:44pm

Tonight Act 1 was 1 hour and 1 min.  Act 2 was 1 hour and 8 minutes.

[The Bandstand]

Posted: 9/11/25 at 5:47pm

Anyone see it?

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 9/14/25 at 1:31am

this should probably be one act--- it picks up a good pace but then stops and it takes a bit for it to get going again. its very expository---the lead is telling you a story most of the time, narrating a ton with minimal action interludes, and this gets worse in act 2 when we are preached to by a social worker who has to explain a bunch to us/the characters. i definitely think it dragged here and there. the structure makes little sense- we start in like a group meeting with Jacob talking to us, telling a story, but thats abandoned entirely by act 2, and then it closes with Harrison breaking the 4th wall (to lots of sniffling).

but the performances are exemplary.  I hope Will Harrison is in conversation during awards season bec its his show (and im not sure I love that choice--giving the show to his character) and hes phenomenal from the jump but especially at the end. Sam Robards is excellent in a few roles, as is of course Victoria Clark (they have her playing a bunch of different parts in act 1, which is a mistake--shes such a powerhouse as The Mom that it almost feels silly to see her pretending to be a drunk bar patron in between her scenes). 

aside from the performances, the choreographed movement is rather impressive on the never changing but effective set. the ensemble really moves, often as one. lots to appreciate here.

no bad seats at the Friedman, we were front mezz and most of the rows behind us were empty, on a saturday night. hope it finds its footing.

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 6:43pm

PipingHotPiccolo said: "this should probably be one act--- it picks up a good pace but then stops and it takes a bit for it to get going again. its very expository---the lead is telling you a story most of the time, narrating a ton with minimal action interludes, and this gets worse in act 2 when we are preached to by a social worker who has to explain a bunch to us/the characters. i definitely think it dragged here and there. the structure makes little sense- we start in like a group meeting with Jacob talking to us, telling a story, but thats abandoned entirely by act 2, and then it closes with Harrison breaking the 4th wall (to lots of sniffling).

but the performances are exemplary. I hope Will Harrison is in conversation during awards season bec its his show (and im not sure I love that choice--giving the show to his character) and hes phenomenal from the jump but especially at the end. Sam Robards is excellent in a few roles, as is of course Victoria Clark (they have her playing a bunch of different parts in act 1, which is a mistake--shes such a powerhouse as The Mom that it almost feels silly to see her pretending to be a drunk bar patron in between her scenes).

aside from the performances, the choreographed movement is rather impressive on the never changing but effective set. the ensemble really moves, often as one. lots to appreciate here.

no bad seats at the Friedman, we were front mezz and most of the rows behind us were empty, on a saturday night. hope it finds its footing."

Thanks for the detailed review. I was going to see this tomorrow but your details about all the narration just talked me out of buying a ticket. 

[PipingHotPiccolo]

Posted: 9/15/25 at 10:28pm

to each their own but @Matt Rogers that was not my intention! I was very moved at the end and the performances are excellent. If anything, its sitting well/better with me a few days later.

But yes, the first 20 minutes is the lead telling us a story and then the second act has alot of "let me educate these characters about something so i can educate the audience as well" moments.

[blaxx]

Posted: 9/16/25 at 1:47am

Matt Rogers said: "PipingHotPiccolo said: "this should probably be one act--- it picks up a good pace but then stops and it takes a bit for it to get going again. its very expository---the lead is telling you a story most of the time, narrating a ton with minimal action interludes, and this gets worse in act 2 when we are preached to by a social worker who has to explain a bunch to us/the characters. i definitely think it dragged here and there. the structure makes little sense- we start in like a group meeting with Jacob talking to us, telling a story, but thats abandoned entirely by act 2, and then it closes with Harrison breaking the 4th wall (to lots of sniffling).

but the performances are exemplary. I hope Will Harrison is in conversation during awards season bec its his show (and im not sure I love that choice--giving the show to his character) and hes phenomenal from the jump but especially at the end. Sam Robards is excellent in a few roles, as is of course Victoria Clark (they have her playing a bunch of different parts in act 1, which is a mistake--shes such a powerhouse as The Mom that it almost feels silly to see her pretending to be a drunk bar patron in between her scenes).

aside from the performances, the choreographed movement is rather impressive on the never changing but effective set. the ensemble really moves, often as one. lots to appreciate here.

no bad seats at the Friedman, we were front mezz and most of the rows behind us were empty, on a saturday night. hope it finds its footing."

Thanks for the detailed review. I was going to see this tomorrow but your details about all the narration just talked me out of buying a ticket."

I could barely stay awake. It's people crying and whining for what seems an eternity. Avoid.

[CoffeeBreak]

Posted: 9/16/25 at 2:09am

Go.  It is narration heavy to get the story going in the beginning but it moves quickly in the set up.

The last couple of scenes are pretty amazing.  The audience we were with you could hear a pin drop.  The performances are strong especially the leading man.  Victoria Clark's parts were a little confusing.  We initially thought she had dropped her accent, but was a different character?  Over time she will likely find ways to differentiate them more clearly. 

Good balance of story, interesting information and emotion.  Glad we went.

Updated On: 9/27/25 at 02:09 AM

[bwayphreak234]

Posted: 9/18/25 at 5:50am

This was a giant "shrug" for me. As others have mentioned, it's very narration-heavy which was detrimental to my enjoyment and engagement. I just could not get invested in the characters or story. Very reminiscent of a Lifetime movie, and I saw the ending coming from a mile away. This is one of those plays someone may bring up in a couple years and I will struggle to remember anything about it.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 9/18/25 at 10:12pm

This wasn't really my thing.

Bwayphreak is spot-on with the too much narration, especially in act one, and I thought the accents were a smidge too thick. Though the action picked up a bit later on, I can't help but feel this was a bit boring (save for a few touching moments in act two).

Will Harrison gives a fierce, bodily performance that proves to be a monster of a Broadway debut. I also quite liked the lighting design.

Sidenote, it's pretty cool that we get to see not one, but two Kimberly Levacos at MTC this theatre season. 

Tonight I clocked 7:06 start and 9:21 blackout.

 

[LxGstv]

Posted: 9/18/25 at 10:35pm

I went in with low expectations after reading this thread, but I was completely blown away.

I don’t really understand the criticism about it being too narration-heavy. For me, the narration served as essential exposition, you need that time to understand the characters, and it all builds toward a truly powerful climax in Act Two. The storytelling is somewhat non-linear, but it’s structured in a way that really works.

The story itself is incredibly compelling. During intermission, I had mixed feelings knowing it’s based on a book written by the “antagonist,” but by the middle of the second act, my emotions had completely shifted. The play accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do, and does so in a very impactful way.

The set design is even more impressive once you learn what it’s based on. There's some fascinating context in the flyer included with the Playbill. The lighting is also beautifully done and enhances the entire experience.

Needless to say, the acting is phenomenal. I really hope this doesn't get overlooked come Tony season.

[Fordham2015]

Posted: 9/20/25 at 8:03pm

I was afraid this would be a soap opera, but it mostly avoids those trappings. Act 1 is a freight train, which makes the slower moments in act 2 (especially the meeting between Jacob and the parents) hit harder. Will Harrison, Victoria Clark, and Sam Robards are all fantastic.

My only complaint is that I wish there was a scene or two showing James (the victim) in flashback. He's entirely defined by what other people (namely his parents) say about him. Overall very well done though 

[halfhourcheckwithmerman]

Posted: 9/23/25 at 2:58pm

I thought this was a near-perfect, gripping, brillinat play until the last 15 minutes. The scene of him meeting the parents is incredibly written and so subtle and so complicated and so wonderful --- and then there's a blunt 15 minutes that to me ruined all of the subtlety and insight of the entire play we had had before.

 

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Stupid, stock-sounding "here's the 5 ways that Lexapro can change your life"-type music starts playing. All of the complication of "can we forgive you, or not?" is ruined. Suddenly, it's a story about how he took this tragedy and became a speaker and motivator, and has a kid, and can write a book about this, and everything is better! Bleh. They try to have some subtlety with her forgiving him, but the father not doing so --- but then the father shakes his hand, which not only ruins the complication of that moment, but ruins the former beautiful discussion (earlier in the act) about shaking his hand.  

I can't remember the last time I liked a play so much, and then, suddenly, didn't. I get that it's a real person's story, and that makes adapting it difficult, and there are probably a lot of people in the room who want certain things to come across. But I think if the show ended with the scene of him meeting the parents, all of the themes and messages they want to impart would still be there, just in a more subtle (and, please --- powerful!) way. There is genuinely nothing gained from that last preachy, sappy scene. Just cut it! 

[kurtal]

Posted: 9/25/25 at 2:13pm

I saw yesterday's matinee.  I agree with a lot of what's already been posted.  Lots of easy nitpicking to be done here (which I'll do below), but overall I thought the show was successful and built around a phenomenal leading performance by Will Harrison.

The first act is too long.  Could easily lose 10 minutes.

The second act is much more powerful and probably doesn't work as well without the frenetic nature of the first act.

The writing of everything after the family meeting felt a bit forced.  A *little* too neatly tied up.  The scene with the little brother was particularly cringeworthy.

The set and lighting are superb.

I agree with a previous poster that having Victoria Clark (and to a lesser extent Sam Robards) in multiple roles was distracting and probably unnecessary.  I feel like everything they did outside of their main roles could have been cut or covered by a different ensemble member.  However, seeing Victoria bounce around as a street gang member gave Kimberly Akimbo alternate universe vibes that was quite amusing.

It's not a perfect show.  There's a decent amount of fat that could be trimmed.

And yet...I ultimately found the show effective and moving.  So while I don't think you need to run out and buy a ticket, it's definitely worth a viewing if you're curious at all.

[MezzA101]

Posted: 9/26/25 at 7:04am

Could You Embrace the Man Who Killed Your Son? They Did.

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/26/theater/punch-broadway-restorative-justice.html?unlocked_article_code=1.o08.e5PS.m78brzn5auhu&smid=nytcore-android-share

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 9/27/25 at 11:19pm

I have to say, few things shock me anymore on this board but the people saying this isn’t good - that shocks me. Saw tonight’s performance and it might be the best thing I’ve seen in 2025. It’s DEVASTATING. It’s also full of hope and makes you truly think about what you’re capable of doing as a person. Could you or WOULD you, be willing or be able put in the work to forgive someone for something like that. 

Performances across the board are A+. This is a non stop marathon of emotions for 2 1/2 hours and because of that I disagree that it should be one act. This one absolutely needs a break to let the audience catch its breath and breath forms few minutes. 

This is one of those shows I’ll be talking about in 20 years. For me and hopefully for the rest of the upcoming Broadway season, the bar has been set HIGH. 

[Melissa25]

Posted: 9/28/25 at 12:15am

I saw the matinee today and thought the acting was great but I really cannot recommend this. I probably would have left at intermission if I did not have another show this evening. So much of Act 1 is Jacob talking at you.  I honestly felt like I was taken hostage and wanted out. Act two is better and the scene with Jacob and the parents was moving but as a whole, this just wasn’t for me. 
 

[rosscoe(au)]

Posted: 9/28/25 at 6:45am

This thread is why I love theatre, everyone see’s and takes something different away from it. 

[SteveSanders]

Posted: 9/28/25 at 7:41am

A few recent British plays about real life stories have seemed a bit heavy on the amount of exposition coming from the main character(s) talking at the audience.  Manhunt is another one that immediately comes to mind.

Updated On: 9/28/25 at 07:41 AM

[gibsons2]

Posted: 9/28/25 at 8:09am

Melissa25 said: "I saw the matinee today and thought the acting was great but I really cannot recommend this. I probably would have left at intermission if I did not have another show this evening. So much of Act 1 is Jacob talking at you.I honestly felt like I was taken hostage and wanted out. Act two is better and the scene with Jacob and the parents was moving but as a whole, this just wasn’t for me.
"

I was at that matinee as well. Finally scored a very discounted ticket. I couldn't stop thinking about Trainspotting while watching the play. The main character narration and then immediate jumps into scenes. At the end of the act 2 heard few sobs, people were audibly crying, and I love to shed a tear in a theater. But it didn't touch me at all, to my surprise. I also wanted to leave at intermission but honestly had no other plans so I stayed. 

Updated On: 9/28/25 at 08:09 AM