Posts found under: punch and judy puppet show

Mr Punch’s Wife Judy

Mr Punch’s wife Judy is one of the main Characters of any Punch and Judy Show

Mr Punch’s wife name was originally Joan, a common, popular name in the 16th and 17th centuries and the reason for the change is unknown but many believe the slang term ‘Judy’ for a “tramp’s woman,” may have been more fitting for the raucous, risque street shows. The last use of  Joan was in 1818, about the same time that the puppets went from marionettes to hand puppets. Judy almost always wears a bonnet or a Georgian mob-cap. Judy comes on stage to bicker and fight with Mr Punch, bring him the baby, and later come back to find the baby gone, chastise and argue with  Mr Punch and then the violent anarchy begins!

 

Punch and Judy

 

 

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Mr Punch

Mr Punch

Mr Punch derives from the Italian character of Pulcinella, who in England later became know as Punchinello. He is a later manifestation of the Lord of Misrule and Trickster figures of deep-rooted mythologies. Punch’s wife was originally called “Joan.”

The figure who later became Mr. Punch made his first recorded appearance in England on 9 May 1662, which is traditionally reckoned as Punch’s UK birthday. Samuel Pepys First observed a  show featuring an early version of the Punch character in Covent Garden in London. The puppet show was performed by an Italian puppet showman, Pietro Gimonde, a.k.a. “Signor Bologna.” Pepys described the event in his diary as “an Italian puppet play, that is within the rails there, which is very pretty.”

Our Slough based British Punch and Judy show, Mr Punch wears a brightly colored hat with a tassel. He is a hunchback whose hooked nose almost meets his curved, jutting chin. He carries a slap stick as large as himself, which he freely uses upon most of the other characters in the show. He speaks in a distinctive squawking voice, produced by a contrivance known as a swazzle which the professor holds in her mouth, transmitting his gleeful cackle. This gives Mr Punch a vocal quality as though he were speaking through a kazoo. So important is  Mr Punch’s signature sound that it is a matter of some controversy within Punch and Judy circles as to whether a “non-swazzled” show can be considered a true Punch and Judy Show. Other characters do not use the swazzle, so the Punch and Judy professor has to switch back and forth while still holding the device in her mouth.

    

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Less Used Puppets

  • Pretty Polly
  • Mr. Scaramouche (Toby’s owner)
  • (Hector) the Horse
  • The Servant (aka: Jim Crow)
  • The Blind Man
  • The Monkey
  • The Dog

 

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History of Punch and Judy

 

Punch and Judy history

While the ‘Punch and Judy’ Puppet Show is most well known from the Victorian Era, the character of Mr Punch is much older. Before this time Mr Punch was known as ‘Punchinello’ and was very popular in 18th century England. Even before this Mr Punch can be traced from France to England in the 1660’s and from Italy to France in the 16th century! Simply the fact that we still see Mr Punch today is a testament to how loved this mischievous rascal is!!

Punch And Judy

The Punch and Judy Show 

While there is no set script for a Punch and Judy puppet show, most Punch and Judy shows contain the regular characters, Mr Punch and Judy (of course!), the Baby, the Policeman, Joey the clown and the Hangman for example. However there are many other Punch and Judy characters which can be included, mine consist of the above plus the Crocodile, the Doctor, the Ghost and the Boxers.

 

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