THE BOOTH
One person, one booth
Glove puppets let a single performer, known as a professor, run the whole show from inside a tall booth that people could see from a distance.
Pick an era
A SHORT HISTORY OF MR PUNCH
That's the way
to do it.
Mr Punch has been performing in Britain for over 350 years.
He began as Pulcinella, a character from Italian commedia dell'arte, worked as a marionette in 17th-century London, and found his lasting home in a tall striped booth at the seaside.
SINCE 1662 first recorded in London
Pick an era- One performer
- One booth
- One squeaky voice
- The world's most portable theatre
THE SHORT ANSWER
From Italian stage
to British beach.
The show changed puppets, names and venues.
The voice and the slapstick stayed.
THE VOICE
The swazzle
Punch's squawk comes from a swazzle, a small metal reed held in the professor's mouth. Once made from bone or ivory, today they are made from tin.
About the swazzle
THE SEASIDE
Trains to the beach
Railways and excursion trains brought crowds to the coast, and by the end of the 19th century a seaside Punch and Judy show could attract huge audiences.
See the numbers
SPOT THE CAST
Who's who
in the booth.
Every professor's show differs, but these characters and roles turn up again and again in the tradition.
Mr Punch and Judy
The title pair. Judy was called Joan until the early 19th century.
Toby the dog
Inherited from Italian Pulcinella shows, and once played by a real dog.
The Crocodile, Clown and friends
Familiar figures in many sets. In the classic plot each visitor except the Clown is quickly seen off by Punch's stick.
The bottler
The professor's partner outside the booth, who played pipes and drum and collected money from the crowd.
TWO NUMBERS WORTH KNOWING
Fewer beach pitches,
plenty of professors.
Both figures from the UNIMA
World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts.
44
Punchmen with summer seaside pitches
A survey for a trade newspaper in 1939 counted forty-four. By the end of the 20th century the number had declined to no more than twelve.
1939 SURVEY · UNIMA
100+
Professors who regularly perform
The encyclopedia says over a hundred professors, men and women, regularly perform the show at fêtes, festivals and parties.
PERFORMERS · UNIMA
Punch's 300 years in England were marked in Covent Garden on 26 May 1962, and since 1976 a May Fayre near the spot of the 1662 show has celebrated puppetry.
A QUICK TIMELINE CHECK
How did the
show change?
Pick a moment in Punch's history to see what the show was like. The bar shows how close it was to the show we know today.
Based on the V&A's history of Punch and Judy and the World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts.
THE SWAZZLE
A voice that's
easy to swallow.
The swazzle is a small metal reed held between the tongue and the roof of the professor's mouth. It is called a sifflet-pratique in France and was often a pivetta in Italy.
Because it has to be moved to switch between Punch's voice and the other characters, swallowing it is a real risk. The V&A notes the old saying that no performer can consider themselves a professor until they have swallowed two.
QUESTIONS PEOPLE ASK
Punch and Judy questions
How old is Punch and Judy?
Mr Punch has been performing in the UK for over 350 years. A puppet play featuring a version of Punch was first recorded in England in May 1662, in Covent Garden, London.
Where does the name Punch come from?
From Pulcinella, a character of Italian commedia dell'arte. The V&A says the name may come from pulcino, or chick, referring to his beak-like mask and squeaky voice.
Why is the performer called a professor?
It is the traditional title for a Punch and Judy showman. Many came from families who carried on an oral tradition, performing shows developed by their fathers or grandfathers.
What makes Punch's voice?
A swazzle, a small reed held in the professor's mouth. Originally made from bone or ivory, swazzles are now made from tin.
Why is it linked with the seaside?
Railways, excursion trains and more leisure time, including the August Bank Holiday from 1871, brought crowds to the coast, and Punch and Judy became a standard part of the entertainment.
Is there an organisation for Punch and Judy performers?
Yes. The V&A notes a Punch & Judy College of Professors dedicated to the show and a Punch & Judy Fellowship that brings professors together. Punch still appears at festivals, fetes, schools, holiday parks, Christmas fairs and, naturally, the seaside.
Sources
- V&A: "That's the way to do it!" A history of Punch & Judy
- V&A Collections: Swazzle (Theatre and Performance Collection)
- UNIMA World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts: Punch
- Brighton Toy and Model Index: Punch and Judy
Updated