The origin of the grotesque, humpbacked, and hooknosed marionette Polichinelle may have resulted from a fusion of the Italian character Pulcinella with an earlier French tradition of humpbacked fools.
The origin of Mr Punch from the Italian Pulcinella of the Commedia dell'arte is well known but his features, large hooked nose, protruding chin, kyphosis and sternal protrusion all in an exaggerated form also suggest the caricature of an acromegalic.
Punch and Judy is the traditional puppet show featuring Mr. Punch and his wife Judy. An archetypical and controversial British figure with his origins in the charismatic 16th century Italian puppet Pulcinella, Mr Punch has been performing in the UK for over 350 years.
The story of Mr. Punch is that he kills his baby, then his wife Judy, and the police officer who comes to arrest him. He outwits a ghost, a crocodile, and a doctor, convinces the hangman to be hanged in his place, and, at the play's end, even defeats the devil himself.
Punch was a hook-nosed humpbacked character. Judy, originally called Joan, was his wife. Traveling showmen carried these Punch-and-Judy puppet shows to country festivals in the summer and visited London for the fairs in August and September. In the 1790s the marionettes lost their popularity at the fairs.
DO NOT "TURN" YOUR HIPS WHEN PUNCHING ❌ here's why.
When was Punch and Judy banned?
In 1947, the Middlesex County Council in England banned Punch and Judy from schools, prompting wide outcry from Punch fans and his eventual reinstatement.
Modern British performances of Punch and Judy are no longer exclusively the traditional seaside children's entertainments which they had become. They can now be seen at carnivals, festivals, birthday parties, and other celebratory occasions.
During the Rivers of London the revenant Henry Pyke adopts the persona of Mister Punch to wreck havok on modern day London through murder, violence, and riots. Under the dual influence of Punch and Pyke an ordinary person can be induced to act on rage, irritation, or other emotions that would normally be held in check.
By the 1990s the magazine had lost its satiric bite and most of its readership, and it ceased publication in April 1992. It was revived in September 1996 but financial difficulties continued, and the magazine closed in May 2002.
Punch soon became a staple — first of street fairs, and then, centuries later, movies and TV. In recent years however, there have been calls to ban Punch and Judy shows because of racist and misogynistic undertones embedded in the narrative of the show.
Over the years, concerned parents, schools, and commentators have argued that the violent content of a Punch and Judy show isn't appropriate for children and that it needs to be adapted for a modern audience or removed completely.
Domestic violence is prominent, with graphic blood splatters and grotesque injuries. Punch (Damon Herriman) has a drinking problem, which escalates his violence toward his wife, Judy (Mia Wasikowska). Spoiler alert: A baby is accidentally thrown out of a window, resulting in the child's death.
He is an opportunist who always sides with the winner in any situation and who fears no consequences. His main motivations are self-interest and self-preservation, yet Pulcinella tends to rescue other characters from trouble. He is said to be every character's savior, despite acting as a rebel and a delinquent.
A swazzle (swozzle, schwazzle or swatchel) is a device made of two strips of metal bound around a cotton tape reed. The device is used to produce the distinctive harsh, rasping voice of Punch in a Punch and Judy show, and is held in the mouth by the professor (performer).
The character of Punch was first introduced into England by an Italian puppeteer, Pietro Gimonde, from Bologna (c. 1662). It was clearly derived from Pulcinella of the commedia dell'arte and was soon anglicized as Punch. As a rod puppet, he appeared in innumerable shows throughout the 18th century (see Great Britain).
Years of reports of the imminent demise of Punch had their moment of truth yesterday when United Newspapers, owner of the magazine, said it would close on April 8 after 151 years. Staff were told that United had had enough of low sales, disappointing advertising revenue, and losses running at up to £2 million a year.
Punch never became profitable in its new incarnation, and at the end of May 2002, it was announced as once more ceasing publication. Press reports quoted a loss of £16 million over the six years of publication, with only 6,000 subscribers at the end.
From the time of its publication in 1841, Punch was one of the most popular weekly magazines in Victorian Britain. Offering a mixture of jokes, cartoons, and social and political commentary, Punch was aimed at a conservative middle-class male audience, though was considered suitable to be read by the whole family.
Albert Woodville-Gentle (AKA the Faceless Man, Mark 1) began training in Newtonian magic in his early 20s during his time at Oxford University. He was trained by a Folly-trained practitioner Geoffrey Wheatcroft, without Nightingale's knowledge and outside the formal structure of the Folly.
Best known as a happy-go-lucky trickster, Pulcinella loves delicious food, a bottle of wine, and causing some mischief! He often wears a wrinkly black mask, and you can recognize him by his distinctive beak of a nose, baggy clothes, and a tall, white hat. You never know what to expect with Pulcinella.
The Dorset beach, alongside Llandudno in Wales are the only two full-time daily Punch and Judy performers currently operating on UK beaches. There were fears the traditional summer-time favourite was dying out due to a lack of public support.
A group of children are watching a puppet show in an outdoor booth (identified as Guignol in the French release and Punch and Judy in the English one).
What is the French version of the Punch and Judy show?
Though sometimes approximating a Lyonnais version of the Punch-and-Judy show, Guignol usually appeared in his own plays featuring his wife, Madelon, and his companion, Gnafron. Guignol puppet shows, now staged mainly for children, demand a vigorous participation.
Performed by Oasis Youth Theatre, directed by Mark Wheeller (assisted by Charlie Wheeller – Barely Methodical Circus Troupe – choreography of the crash scene which has proved inspirational for students around the world). This DVD includes: – The unabridged production of Too Much Punch for Judy.
