Broadway's Punch Explores Restorative Justice Through Tragedy

In the past two years, rising actor Will Harrison has taken on several high-profile roles based on real people, including in the Broadway play Punch. The play, which is currently running on Broadway, follows the story of Jacob Dunne, a young man who accidentally killed a fellow patron in a bar fight in Nottingham, England in 2011.

Punch explores the concept of restorative justice, with Dunne and the parents of the late James Hodgkinson working together in the aftermath of the tragic event. Harrison, who plays Dunne in the production, was able to meet with the real-life Dunne ahead of the Broadway run, which he says gave him the "freedom to really go for it onstage."

While Harrison acknowledges the challenges of portraying real people, he emphasizes the importance of understanding their motivations, even if their actions were morally questionable. "Regardless of an action being bad or not, there's usually an explanation. There's always a why," he explains. "You sort of start to feel a little protective of them, even, and you have to shake that off."

The play's focus on restorative justice and empathy is a central part of its narrative, and Harrison's performance has been widely praised. As the actor continues to take on complex, real-life roles, he remains committed to finding the humanity in even the most difficult situations.