Podcast Summary: "Punch" is a Profound Story of Forgiveness
Podcast: All Of It
Host: Alison Stewart (WNYC)
Episode Date: October 14, 2025
Guests:
- Will Harrison (Lead Actor, Jacob, in "Punch")
- James Graham (Playwright, Adapted "Punch")
Episode Overview
This episode explores the new Broadway play "Punch," a stage adaptation by playwright James Graham based on the true story of Jacob Dunn—a young man who killed someone with a single punch and then experienced an extraordinary act of forgiveness from the victim's family. Host Alison Stewart speaks with Graham and lead actor Will Harrison about bringing this deeply human story to life, the challenges of portraying complex redemption, and the larger cultural implications around restorative justice and forgiveness.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. The Real Story Behind "Punch"
- The Premise: "Punch" dramatizes the life of Jacob, a troubled youth from Nottingham, England, who killed another young man, James, with a single punch. The narrative follows his journey through the criminal justice system, culminating in restorative meetings with James’s parents.
- James Graham's Motivation:
- “It's one of the most moving real life stories I've just ever come across...they save him. And it just kind of, it broke my heart so I think I had to tell it.”
— James Graham [01:31]
- “It's one of the most moving real life stories I've just ever come across...they save him. And it just kind of, it broke my heart so I think I had to tell it.”
2. Will Harrison's Portrayal of Jacob
- Why Take The Role:
- “You know, these things come into your inbox and it's not often you're moved to tears on the first read. It really is such an amazing piece of writing.”
— Will Harrison [02:29]
- “You know, these things come into your inbox and it's not often you're moved to tears on the first read. It really is such an amazing piece of writing.”
- Most Impactful Scene:
- The climactic meeting between Jacob and James’s parents at the play’s end is highlighted as a powerful, emotionally charged moment.
- “There's a scene towards the end where the parents...and they find a really, really heartwarming resolution...that one got me.”
— Will Harrison [03:20]
3. Writing and Researching Authentic Forgiveness
- Capturing the Parents' Experience:
- Graham collaborated deeply with the real parents, aiming to portray restorative justice not as “soft” but as “incredibly powerful, effective, [and] difficult.”
- “I wanted to show...how superhuman it was for these parents to reach out to the person who killed their son...”
— James Graham [04:11]
- Jacob’s Growth and Voice:
- Harrison visited Nottingham and met the real Jacob, capturing his transformation from volatile teen to remorseful adult.
4. Class, Context, and Masculinity
- Setting the Social Context:
- Graham emphasizes Nottingham’s post-industrial environment and the absence of positive male figures in Jacob’s life.
- “There's always a context to why people commit crime. It might be poverty. It might be cultural...His value system was about showing, earning validation through violence.”
— James Graham [10:03]
- Class Dynamics:
- The play also scrutinizes class:
- “Where you're born and who you're born to still determines a lot of your opportunities...if you're born to working class parents still in the UK to this day, you've got to fight on your hands.”
— James Graham [11:34]
- “Where you're born and who you're born to still determines a lot of your opportunities...if you're born to working class parents still in the UK to this day, you've got to fight on your hands.”
- The play also scrutinizes class:
5. Physicality and Performance
- Embodied Storytelling:
- Harrison discusses using body language to reflect Jacob’s internal state across many life stages:
- “...using your body to tell and paint pictures of what those different environments feel like...always wanting it to feel very intentional and kind of plotted out.” [12:52]
- Harrison discusses using body language to reflect Jacob’s internal state across many life stages:
- Dialect Work:
- Harrison credits his dialect coach, and a lifelong fascination with British movies, for nailing Nottingham’s accent.
6. Honoring Multiple Perspectives
- Balance Between Offender and Victims:
- Graham collaborated closely with James's parents, allowing them to review and comment on script drafts to ensure respectful representation:
- “For the first time ever...I sent pages of the script to the people I was representing so they could comment...David and Joan came to see the show...I think they were very pleased.”
— James Graham [14:15]
- “For the first time ever...I sent pages of the script to the people I was representing so they could comment...David and Joan came to see the show...I think they were very pleased.”
- Graham collaborated closely with James's parents, allowing them to review and comment on script drafts to ensure respectful representation:
7. Restorative Justice: Promise and Caution
- On Positive Outcomes:
- Graham researched the real psychological preparation underpinning restorative justice and notes the rarity of its failure:
- “...it's very, very unlikely that [restorative justice] won't end well...we want to advocate for the positive aspects.”
— James Graham [18:15]
- “...it's very, very unlikely that [restorative justice] won't end well...we want to advocate for the positive aspects.”
- Graham researched the real psychological preparation underpinning restorative justice and notes the rarity of its failure:
- Transformative Power:
- “Learning about [restorative justice] has been so eye opening, and now I really can't imagine that we are doing it any other way...asking the question of who was harmed and what did they need to heal...is really just such a human way.”
— Will Harrison [19:00]
- “Learning about [restorative justice] has been so eye opening, and now I really can't imagine that we are doing it any other way...asking the question of who was harmed and what did they need to heal...is really just such a human way.”
8. Reflections on Forgiveness and Hope
- A Needed Message:
- “Forgiveness is not given much currency in our current political climate...restorative justice is an example that kindness, compassion and forgiveness can have evidence-based benefits...”
— James Graham [19:59]
- “Forgiveness is not given much currency in our current political climate...restorative justice is an example that kindness, compassion and forgiveness can have evidence-based benefits...”
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- “It broke my heart so I think I had to tell it.”
— James Graham on why he adapted Jacob’s memoir [01:31] - “You were amazing in this role.”
— Alison Stewart to Will Harrison [02:12] - “They save him.”
— James Graham on the parents' act of forgiveness [01:31] - “There is such a tension and such a nervousness...and they find a really heartwarming resolution.”
— Will Harrison on the meeting scene with the victim’s parents [03:20] - “All of his male role models were exploitative...It took the mother of the person he killed to tell him there was another value system.”
— James Graham on Jacob’s background [10:03] - “Forgiveness...is a subject matter we should all be trying to restore into our lexicon.”
— James Graham [19:59]
Timestamps for Key Segments
| Time | Segment | |--------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 00:09-01:31 | Episode and play introduction, meeting guests | | 01:31-02:29 | Graham explains why he adapted the story | | 02:29-03:20 | Will Harrison describes what drew him to the part | | 03:20-03:57 | Harrison discusses the play’s most powerful scene | | 04:11-05:45 | Graham on collaboration with the real family and the essence of forgiveness | | 05:56-07:09 | Harrison on embodying Jacob and preparing for the role | | 07:35-08:24 | Monologue excerpt from Punch (“I run through the city...”) | | 08:44-09:27 | Harrison on perfecting the Nottingham dialect | | 10:03-11:30 | Graham on social context—poverty, class, toxic masculinity | | 11:34-12:34 | Graham on class dynamics in the UK | | 12:52-14:01 | Harrison on storytelling through physicality | | 14:15-15:22 | Graham on balancing perspectives, working closely with the victim's family | | 15:32-16:47 | Scene excerpt: James’s parents consider reaching out to Jacob | | 17:02-17:48 | Harrison on working with veteran cast members | | 18:15-18:54 | Graham on restorative justice research and advocacy | | 19:00-19:55 | Harrison and Graham reflect on public perceptions, justice, and forgiveness |
The Tone and Takeaway
The episode is both candid and thoughtful, emphasizing the power of art to foster empathy, questioning entrenched ideas about punishment, and showcasing the real, often difficult, path toward forgiveness. Both guests underline that "Punch" is not a simple story—it’s about living within messy, painful realities and daring to seek hope.
For listeners or theatergoers: This episode provides a deep look into the care, collaboration, and intention behind "Punch," foregrounding the human stories that led to its creation and the potential of restorative justice to reshape lives and communities.