Who can say that they don’t like Punch and Judy shows? Nobody, that’s who. You may have never seen a Punch and Judy show, but that’s your fault… and loss. It’s Looney Tunes before we had the technology for narrative animation and Chuck Jones’ will to use it. The character Punch also known as Mr. Punch or Punchinello, is a beloved bad guy. He’s a trickster puppet who knocks people over the head with a bat. Now that’s what I call culture.
The origin of Mr. Punch is Pulcinella, the Commedia dell’Arte Character. Who is classified by the facial endowment of Cyrano de Bergerac, the affliction of a Quasimodo-grade scoliosis, and Harpo’s pickup lines. Pulcinella eventually stopped being a woman chasing bachelor and settled down with his Wife, Judy. I think he was smitten with the way she could take a hit and return in kind. It’s the funniest domestic violence ever. To be honest, Judy isn’t seen much. She’s usually on for a little while but the point of the act, like Commedia, is to take authority or stupidity down a peg. Beating the wife isn’t funny for too long. Mainly, she’s there to lampoon the bickering between partners and then she leaves to let Punch do his wac-a-mole routine.
Puppets are an interesting form of communication. The are useful as a method of detachment which is necessary in Comedy. It’s the reason we laugh more at cartoons, clowns, and exaggeration as a whole. but more importantly it’s a method to give a relationship message with a single person. This form of communication is important as seen on stage and screen constantly. Look how much we love drama between two people with conflicting motives. We are drawn to the misunderstandings and irony, displayed as one character’s lack of information because we saw the other character do it while the ignorant one was busy. Even though puppetry is not known as a very high form of performance in this country, One of the highest paid comedians in the country right now is Jeff Dunham, a ventriloquist. The timing – perfect, the group – in sync, the travel – less expensive. Because it’s just one person.
The Punch and Judy show is a one performer slapstick group. If you are interested in watching some of this act, Bryan Clarke is an excellent performer in this artform. Click Here for a link to one of my favorites of his routines.
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Your beginning is delightful. Keep up the good writing.
Grumpy