Keeping The Tradition Alive
It’s true. The traditional Punch and Judy Show is making a come back but you won’t often see Mr Punch and his friends down on the beach so it’s no good heading off to Redcar, Whitby, Scarborough or Bridlington to see him. The chances are he won’t be there.
It’s funny how good ideas catch on. In recent years “Seaside Events” have become popular in Yorkshire. I’m not sure who started it off but there are now annual seaside days taking place in town centres and market squares throughout North Yorkshire and West Yorkshire too. Even enterprising showmen have got in on the act realising the appeal a seaside day can have to families looking for a fun day out hence the local fair has now become “Barnsley by the Sea” etc.
The essential ingredients for a fantastic seaside day are sand, buckets and spades, a Punch and Judy Show, ice cream and donkey rides. I’ll not mention sunshine!
This is all good news if you are a Yorkshire based Punch and Judy Man ( which of course I am ). I live in beautiful Richmond North Yorkshire and as far as I know I am the first and only professional Punch and Judy Man the town has ever had. Richmond was a very prosperous place in Georgian times and boasts a delightful Georgian, cobbled market square, a fabulous castle, a pretty waterfall and much more. It’s a very interesting place to live with lots of history. I love it and I am sure Mr Punch feels very comfortable here too as he is as historical as he is hysterical having arrived in England from Italy in the mid seventeenth century.
I have always been very interested in history and I have always thought it’s important to keep old traditions alive which are two reasons why I love Punch and Judy so much. I’m also very proud to be a Yorkshire man. I was born in the seaside town of Redcar ( then in North Yorkshire ) and as a commissioned officer in the Yorkshire Volunteers ( a Territorial Army Infantry Regiment ) had the privilege of being married to my wife Hazel in York Minster.
Over the many years I have been fortunate enough to be Mr Punch’s travelling companion and have performed my Punch and Judy Show throughout Yorkshire including Richmond, Bedale, Northallerton, Thirsk, Ripon, Harrogate and York which are all within an hour of my home. I am used to travelling further field and have also performed at events in Leeds, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax, Wakefield, Barnsley, Sheffield, Doncaster and many, many more places in between.
I have to be honest. Travelling around Yorkshire with Punch and Judy has never been a problem to me. First of all I am proud to be a Yorkshire man and second, I’m on a mission….Keeping The Tradition Alive!
If you are looking for a Punch and Judy Show for your event call me now for a FREE quotation. Just fill in the ENQUIRY FORM which will give me all the information I need to get back to you with a price. Thank you.
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