History
Exactly when Mr Punch first appeared in England is uncertain but an entry in the diary
of Samuel Pepys has forever cast Mr Punch’s birthday as 9th May 1662. I am sure
that the Italian puppeteer who so caught the eye of the celebrated diarist had
many choices to make regarding the content and presentation of his show. We can
imagine the historical back drop to this snap shot in history, Oliver Cromwell’s
puritanical rule is over and all manner of entertainment springs up to entertain
both gentry and paupers alike. So Punch came from France and before that Italy,
but it was in Britain that he adapted and changed from a marionette to the
raucous glove puppet show we have such good childhood memories of today. This
evolution involved a mix of fairground colour, impromptu humour, and reflecting
the mystery plays and mummers plays of year’s gone bye. Within a few years the
one basic version of the show immerged and has remained with us right up until
today. If the performer of century’s gone bye had choices then does that hold
true for today’s slapstick wielding puppeteers? After all, the entire story
is traditional and many Punch operators make reference to the fact that their
show is a traditional Punch and Judy Show but what is the traditional show? If
it is the script as written down in 1828 by John Payne Collier with the now
famous illustrations by George Cruishank, then no one does a traditional show
anymore.
of Samuel Pepys has forever cast Mr Punch’s birthday as 9th May 1662. I am sure
that the Italian puppeteer who so caught the eye of the celebrated diarist had
many choices to make regarding the content and presentation of his show. We can
imagine the historical back drop to this snap shot in history, Oliver Cromwell’s
puritanical rule is over and all manner of entertainment springs up to entertain
both gentry and paupers alike. So Punch came from France and before that Italy,
but it was in Britain that he adapted and changed from a marionette to the
raucous glove puppet show we have such good childhood memories of today. This
evolution involved a mix of fairground colour, impromptu humour, and reflecting
the mystery plays and mummers plays of year’s gone bye. Within a few years the
one basic version of the show immerged and has remained with us right up until
today. If the performer of century’s gone bye had choices then does that hold
true for today’s slapstick wielding puppeteers? After all, the entire story
is traditional and many Punch operators make reference to the fact that their
show is a traditional Punch and Judy Show but what is the traditional show? If
it is the script as written down in 1828 by John Payne Collier with the now
famous illustrations by George Cruishank, then no one does a traditional show
anymore.
What history does tell us is that the Punch and Judy performer has been adaptable, able to roll with the punches
and pick up on the mood of the public as he created a knockabout pantomime come
satire with hero’s, villains and the ability to change and move with the times.
So the choices for today’s Punch and Judy man are endless only his target
audience now almost entirely children, has an effect on his choices, and here is
his dilemma. Punch is after all an irreverent, bawdy and anarchistic little man
who goes through life doing things his way with little regard for family or
authority. In the original story he takes a stick to everyone who stands in his
way. Hardly P.C. How can you wrap that up and say it’s okay, well you can’t
and you never could, so maybe today’s Punch and Judy man has to think twice
about his audience before he includes another character to make a social comment
on say pole dancing or dancing on ice for that matter, for sure his predecessors
would not be surprised, after all it was their idea to be inventive and
different in the first place. I loved the Punch and Judy show presented by Teddy
Alexander, or Mr Ted as he was known to thousands of children, he had a
show which was funny and inventive it even included taped music which he worked
with a foot pedal. In later years his show was so politically correct that he
had two punch figures the “good Mr Punch” and his brother naughty Mr Punch,
selling out to the P.C. brigade or moving with the times? Well for me the bottom
line, Teddy was a truly professional entertainer and that’s exactly what he did,
entertain, and that is what Punch and Judy should be, and
is,entertainment.
To learn more about the history of
Punch and Judy check out:-
The Tragical Comedy or Comical
Tragedy" ... by: John Payne Collier Published by: Prowett 1828
"Punch and Judy".... by: Michael
Byrom Published by: Shiva 1972
"The Punch and Judy Show"...
by: Robert Leach Published by: Batsford 1985
and pick up on the mood of the public as he created a knockabout pantomime come
satire with hero’s, villains and the ability to change and move with the times.
So the choices for today’s Punch and Judy man are endless only his target
audience now almost entirely children, has an effect on his choices, and here is
his dilemma. Punch is after all an irreverent, bawdy and anarchistic little man
who goes through life doing things his way with little regard for family or
authority. In the original story he takes a stick to everyone who stands in his
way. Hardly P.C. How can you wrap that up and say it’s okay, well you can’t
and you never could, so maybe today’s Punch and Judy man has to think twice
about his audience before he includes another character to make a social comment
on say pole dancing or dancing on ice for that matter, for sure his predecessors
would not be surprised, after all it was their idea to be inventive and
different in the first place. I loved the Punch and Judy show presented by Teddy
Alexander, or Mr Ted as he was known to thousands of children, he had a
show which was funny and inventive it even included taped music which he worked
with a foot pedal. In later years his show was so politically correct that he
had two punch figures the “good Mr Punch” and his brother naughty Mr Punch,
selling out to the P.C. brigade or moving with the times? Well for me the bottom
line, Teddy was a truly professional entertainer and that’s exactly what he did,
entertain, and that is what Punch and Judy should be, and
is,entertainment.
To learn more about the history of
Punch and Judy check out:-
The Tragical Comedy or Comical
Tragedy" ... by: John Payne Collier Published by: Prowett 1828
"Punch and Judy".... by: Michael
Byrom Published by: Shiva 1972
"The Punch and Judy Show"...
by: Robert Leach Published by: Batsford 1985