PUNCH Previews- Page 2

[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

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 9/28/25 at 10:41am

Booked my tickets. Really looking forward to seeing it after all the discussion here. 

 

[WiCkEDrOcKS]

Posted: 9/28/25 at 11:45am

I liked this a lot! Will Harrison was pretty spectacular, anchoring the whole thing. It’s a marathon of a performance. Victoria Clark is reliably strong. The narration didn’t bother me in the least. It could use a bit of trimming and it is … certainly earnest, but great direction, stunning lighting design, and powerful performances go a long way to quell those reservations for the most part. 

Updated On: 9/29/25 at 11:45 AM

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/28/25 at 5:57pm

I went this afternoon and, as advertised, nothing will hit you like this. While I’m still marinating on it, these are my “immediate thoughts”.

- Yes, Act I is a LOT of exposition. While James Graham does a great job fleshing out the nuances of the characters, but also the time, space, and their circumstances, there could be a better way to economize this part of the story.

- The payoff is indeed in Act II and I don’t think I had a dry eye around me. It is one HELL of a payoff. Until that point, you are seeing three characters roped into the same orbit by horrible circumstances, but by Act II, you are able to notice that neither party made the other to feel as either victim or villain.

- Will Harrison better not be one of those performances that gets forgotten by the Tonys because of when it opened because he is doing WORK. This is a man who has to portray someone who is dealing with a world that could not support him, a neurodivergence diagnosis that - while not blatant - subtly weaves its way into his character arc and how he manages his behaviors and relationships with others, and a carceral state of mind that he struggles to be fully free from. That last part reminded me of “The Brothers Size” in that, even when someone has done their time, the sentence as society sees it continues and they never feel truly free. The forgiveness through restorative justice finally frees him and gives him the support he has lacked his whole life.

- Victoria Clark does most of the emotional heavy lifting and plays it in a very emotional, but controlled way - think like Mare Winningham, and she really comes full circle with her character.

- The restorative justice scene might be a bit hard to understand for some because it’s such a delicate balance for it to be effective as a moment. I would suggest the film “Mass” (by Fran Kranz) as a primer if you aren’t familiar.

- The accents were slipping a bit, but also talking in a lower class Manchester accent and dialect for 2.5 hours when it’s not your native tongue is likely not an easy feat.

Summary: Don’t be discouraged by the first act, the payoff is worth it. GO. 

[NotTheComfyChair]

Posted: 9/29/25 at 6:38pm

Agreed, talking in unfamiliar accents is indeed not an easy feat. FYI, these accents are from Nottingham, not Manchester.

Nottingham is a really difficult British accent. It can sound both Yorkshire and London at the same time and there is also a young urban accent as well that the younger characters are doing. Full disclosure - I saw the production in London and haven't seen this one yet.

It is indeed worth staying for the second act!

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/29/25 at 6:46pm

I'm so glad this is working for most people here, I saw it in London and it was extraordinary. The thoughts on the narration are especially interesting since there wasn't a lot of talk around me about that when I saw it. I wonder if it has to do with people's attention spans or perhaps people are expecting a lot more action overall?

[gibsons2]

Posted: 9/29/25 at 8:26pm

Sutton Ross said: "I'm so glad this is working for most people here, I saw it in London and it was extraordinary. The thoughts on the narration are especially interesting since there wasn't a lot of talk around me about that when I saw it. I wonder if it has to do with people's attention spans or perhaps people are expecting a lot more action overall?"

No, has nothing to do with the attention span. The play was very predictable and preachy. Although the topic is very important and all, not many people really care about it. I really didn't care for the structure and direction of the play. They've also chose to do about a person who really didn't need the "restorative justice". It was a tragic accident, the main character wasn't a true felon who consciously wanted to commit a a crime. Of course things were going to become better for him. I rolled my eyes at a lot of moments in the 2nd act, it was all just too predictable and convenient. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 9/29/25 at 8:28pm

NotTheComfyChair said: "Agreed, talking in unfamiliar accents is indeed not an easy feat. FYI, these accents are from Nottingham, not Manchester.

Nottingham is a really difficult British accent. It can sound both Yorkshire and London at the same time and there is also a young urban accent as well that the younger characters are doing. Full disclosure - I saw the production in London and haven't seen this one yet.

It is indeed worth staying for the second act!"

Thanks for clarifying. I swore I had heard Manchester referenced more than once so my brain immediately went to that 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 9/29/25 at 8:56pm

gibsons2: No, has nothing to do with the attention span. The play was very predictable and preachy. Although the topic is very important and all, not many people really care about it. I really didn't care for the structure and direction of the play. They've also chose to do about a person who really didn't need the "restorative justice". It was a tragic accident, the main character wasn't a true felon who consciously wanted to commit aa crime. Of course things were going to become better for him. I rolled my eyes at a lot of moments in the 2nd act, it was all just too predictable and convenient."

That's really interesting, thanks for sharing.