Of course, the amazing thing is, is that Punch and Judy never did disappear. Certainly in recent history shows have continued to be performed at family events across the country. It's also true that these days you are much more likely to come across a show almost anywhere - except the sea-side, which is where past memories tend to place it. If you're very lucky there are still a few sea-side locations, but not many.

It had hit an all time low however

hardiehardley You're quite right that there has been a re-discovery of Punch and Judy, primarily as a result of the efforts of The Punch and Judy Fellowship and the College of Punch and Judy Professors. Then again, after 350 years anything will have its peaks and troughs.

I know...., but, that's the behaviour you should expect from punch!

yes it is

Don't

+Debra Parnell swear

+Debra Parnell on

+Debra Parnell a kids show. Kids will look at comments!!!

I did a Punch and Judy show once infront of a audience of 8

Not a harmonica but a single reed ( like a harmonica in fact ) called a swazzle.

No one

What is a gone girls?

meee

me too, but after seeing the movie/

omg yessss lol

Yeah pretty much

+Jaccoob233 I came 4 mr. clevver.

+Morganized (say this in a Lincoln voice) don't put your fingers up your nose urts (hurts) ps I've never heard of Riddley Walker

"Punch & Judy" shows recently celebrated their 350 years of existence, older than most of the Americas, so tradition certainly plays a pivotal role. "Punch & Judy" shows, like pantos, are always interactive. Ask your Canadian cousins ...Funnily enough, Punch & Judy have always been as well-known in the UK as Dr Seuss in the USA (which is actually unknown in the UK)....In the UK, "Punch & Judy" is considered an English icon in the same way you would say "as American as apple pie"

Punch and Judy shows have a huge improvisational element. Because the performer reacts on the spot to the audience and often has to devise plots on a whim there isn't really much of a cohesive story, but certain successful plot elements have generally persisted through the centuries to the point that all shows generally work them in: especially Judy's baby, the slap stick and the devil. It's the loosely cohesive 'tropes' as you put it that actually define the show altogether

Bill Franklin Funnily enough there's actually very little that is thought up on the spot. When you've done the show 100's of times the trick is to try and make it seem like you're doing it for the first time ever - as with most live performance. In the past there were certainly regional variations although I suspect that with the ease of travel and KZfaq that's not quite the case. Most professional Punch and Judy men will have a number of 'standard' key scenes they always include and then maybe 3 or 4 special routines which they will consider to be 'their signature pieces'.

+Melvyn Rawlinson hi I am a massive fan of punch and judy puppet shows and your channel

Kieran Hill I hope you get to see some good shows in the coming months. If ever you're down in London, the Sunday after May Bank Holiday is the May Fair in Covent Garden. About 20 different shows and where you'll see some of the best performers all for free.

Of course Rod is part of a growing band of performers of Punch and Judy from the ages of 8 to 80 year olds. Check out the Punch and Judy Fellowship for more news on the 350 year old 'tradition'. There are certainly some 'secrets' regarding the performance, but I can tell you that the performer is usually standing and is able to see through the thin painted scene cloth. ( some other booths are much taller and the performer is working over their head, in which case there would be other peep holes conveniently placed in the front cover. As for the quick changes, the puppets are quite loose fitting and the trick is plenty of practice so that you always know where the puppet or prop is so that you can easily swop - all this whilst creating multiple voices and keeping an eye on the audience.

Melvyn Rawlinson Even knowing that, my brain is still telling me this is magic. i wish i had seen it in person. shows like this would never be allowed to be public here in the US. We are free to do anything so long as it doesn't offend anyone ever. i saw you write that it has been changed over the years to be less controversial... how so? 'Special interest' groups here would be in an uproar with this toned down version... that being said, i still think its a wonderful show and am glad that at least somewhere, kids can still enjoy it

Rino Levesque Jr Without giving you a history lesson, it's worth noting that so many stories and other forms which we have now come to consider as 'children's entertainment' were NEVER intended to be for children. As I mentioned before, many entertainers have chosen to update the story - as was always the case - and so as audiences sensibilities change, so has the show in response to that ( certainly those versions which are performed for a family audience ). So rather than thinking of it as a toned down or diluted version, it may be more accurate to think of its current state as simply another point in its ever changing evolution. It may sound very grand but it's really no different from the way literature, films, comedy, TV changes over the years. Mr Punch being something in the region of 350 years old ( at least ) has had the opportunity to go through more changes.

It is quite funny 😆😆😆😆😆😆

It's not freakin' America, for Godsake. People neither spend their lives dreaming of making money off lawsuits nor expecting to be sued for unimportant matters. It's a VERY different world outside the USA! You can even say "fuck" and "shit" on tellie in the UK - wow...it's like having ACTUAL freedom and liberty...

Don't swear kids are looking at comments!

Same

There isn't one

Just make sure they like it I suppose

Hi Steve, Rod is down in Devon and although I'm just down the road in Nottingham, I don't do kids party's. Have a look a www.puppeteersuk.com - it's a directory of performers and you can search for one in your area. Good Luck!

I don't think we need violence in a kid's show mate

Yea

+that crafty chick What do you mean by censored and who are 'they'?

Melvyn Rawlinson they as in the play writer and censored as in didn't show

+that crafty chick But there is no one writer or overall script which everyone MUST use; each performer creates their own show based on years of tradition and then most importantly, the personality of the performer. Of course any professional performer will use their expertise to decide what to include in any one particular performance based on the needs of that audience - no one wants to perform something that is inappropriate. So, on that basis it's true that performers continue to 'edit' their show to suit the occasion and the sensibilities of that audience but that is far from being censored. The Punch and Judy show is all about Anarchy and you can't censor that!

Melvyn Rawlinson i answered ur question i don't care to read a paragraph in response to that, good day and yeah i c ur point it just wasn't really needed in this situation

In New Zealand it can mean either. It's actually quite hard for me to imagine what it's like to understand it mean the one thing and not the other.

I have to wonder about the women in your life. :P

Are you 3 years old? Do you not realise the man who was presenting is also playing all the roles?? What's important in a Punch&Judy show is the Punch voice, which always must be the most distinctive, always sounding like this man's here, that quasi-unintelligible high-pitched rambling squeal. Judy is only the woman, so her voice is unimportant - in fact, he's not even disguising his voice, but using more female language & syntax to simulate a woman's voice, which is fine...

Hmmm ppl these days