The 325th Anniversary of Punch and Judy

Image by ronwooduk via Flickr

This You Tube film clip is an extract from 1987 TV documentary film by Glyn Edwards showing highlights of the parade and mass gathering of Punch & Judy ‘Professors’ celebrating the 325th ‘birthday’ of Mr. Punch in London’s Covent Garden.

Next year, 2012, is the 350th anniversary and there will be celebrations taking place all over the UK including a massive party in London. Find out more by visiting the Big Grin web site.

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The Devil in Punch and Judy

The Devil ( that's him on the left )

Ask anyone to name some of the characters in a Punch and Judy show and they will probably name Mr Punch, Judy, the baby, the policeman, the crocodile and the sausages ( although sausages are an object they will still be mentioned ). These are the main characters that people are familiar with.  Rarely will they mention the Devil. In fact this character is not seen very often in the modern version of the show.

Historical significance

The Devil was once an important character who would regularly appear in plays and stories performed in public places. He was very well known!

In medieval times people were God fearing. The church had great power and influence over the population and it was believed that wrong doers would be damned. They thought that those who lived a good life would be rewarded by going to heaven when they died. Those who were sinners on the other hand would be cast down into the fires of hell.

Hell was presided over by Satan, also known as Beelzebub, Lucifer, “Old Nick” or the Devil. This terrifying apparition, half man, half goat with cloven hooves, a barbed tail, and horns  could appear at any moment and carry an evil person off to the underworld.

In modern western society religion is less influential than it once was. People are much better educated and the power of the church has significantly declined. The majority of people do not read the bible, they attach little value to religious education, christian morality or ethics. The Devil has therefore become irrelevant in day to day life except perhaps in novels or Hollywood movies.

Audience reaction

The Devil provides a perfect adversary for Mr Punch even though the children watching have no idea who he really is. In my show the Devil’s first words are “Do you know who I am”  The children will often shout in reply “A Vampire!”

The role of the Devil is to punish Mr Punch for being naughty. He begins by telling Mr Punch off. When the Devil tries to take Punch away a fight breaks out. The audience cheer for Mr Punch which results in the devil becoming more and more agitated. Eventually Punch triumphs to the delight of his supporters.

Mr Punch’s confrontation with the Devil is undoubtedly an exciting high point and a great way to end the show.

A favorite character

Of all the characters in my Punch and Judy Show, the Devil is one of my favorites. He always provokes a great reaction from the crowd. He is brash, arrogant and not very like able. A character the audience loves to hate. Although I don’t always use him I know when I do, he will live up to expectations. Always a great crowd pleaser!

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• Hire a Punch and Judy Show

Everyone knows that Punch and Judy is a puppet show. Ask people what it means to them and they will probably come out with similar ideas. They are likely to mention the crocodile, the policeman and the baby. They will probably mention that it is at the seaside. They might say that the booth has red and white stripes like the cover on a deck chair. Often they will say Mr Punch’s famous lines “That’s the way to do it!” in a squawky voice. For most people that’s all they know or indeed want to know about Punch and Judy.

If you are thinking about hiring a Punch and Judy show for an event or party you might want to look into things a little further. In that case here is a list of some of the ways Punch and Judy Shows vary:

Mr Punch

• Height of the puppet booth. Many modern shows are low down as the puppeteer works the puppets at chest height. This is ideal for a party in someones home but not good for an outdoor show where there may be large crowds. In this case a show where the puppets are higher up and can easily be seen is much better.
• The covers on the booths are not all red and white stripes. There are variations and some proprietors choose their own colour schemes.
• The proscenium surrounding the puppet stage can be very plain in design or highly ornate. Some are quite magnificent an very pleasing to look at.
• The voice of Mr Punch is produced using a device called a swazzle. This produces  distinctive high pitched sound. Not everyone uses a swazzle. The voice of Mr Punch is not authentic without the swazzle. Some of those who do use a swazzle are very audible and can make Mr punch talk quite clearly. Others are poor and hardly discernible.
• In some shows the slapstick has been removed and there is no knock about action which means there is no vitality. Punch and Judy should be vigorous and fast paced.
• Some shows rely on lots of verbal responding and jokes rather than visual comedy and action.
• The quality of the puppets used also varies. The best shows have hand carved wooden figures. Sometimes puppets made of latex or even papier mache are used. When Punch slaps his hand down on the play board  a loud tap should be heard. This can’t be done with a plastic puppet. The best shows use proper wooden figures.
• The experience, ability and character of the performer also affects the show. Its easy to tell the difference between a show in the hands of a very experienced professor, who is competent in handling the puppets and can bring them to life compared to someone who is not very good. Enthusiasm is also important in delivering a good show and this too can vary.

These are just some of the ways to differentiate one show from another. Every Punch and Judy show is different. The appearance of the show and the actual performance of the show can be very different. Some Punch and Judy shows are brilliant in every respect whilst others may leave much to be desired. It pays to do your homework before booking.