The History of Punch and Judy

TALK: Punch represents the common man fighting his small battles with life. The characters in the traditional show are just the ones that would have beset him 1760 -1830 when the story, as we know it today, was developed. However, his story is much older than that and goes back into the medieval ages. The conception that he is a Victorian children’s entertainment is entirely misplaced, he actually represents the outlook of the Georgian man in the street, who had the money for the Punch man’s hat. This would have been the same in Marlborough as for those watching the show in London. In the last 60 seconds of the talk Punch arrives for children. SPEAKER: Alix Booth has been a Professor of Punch and Judy for nearly fifty years and her interest in the history has continued throughout this time. Pelham Puppets will be only briefly mentioned, as marionettes are completely different from the slapstick humour of the glove puppet theatre.