Crossword Dictionary

Punch and Judy

Punch and Judy are a famous puppet duo from England who have been around for over 350 years.

Although Punch and Judy are primarily English, they are thought to have originated in Italy- by Italian puppeteers who created the puppet character Punchinella. The character Punchinella was based on a character from a particular form of Italian Comedy called Commedia Dell'Arte. Punchinella was originally a marionette. When Italian people began fleeing Italy around 1660 because of poor government and war, this character (later called Punch) began popping up in theatres around England. Although Punch was definitely the first character to emerge, he was later followed by his wife, Judy, his "girlfriend" Pretty Polly, and his dog, Toby. Punch and Judy shows are known for their outrageous humor that includes lots of violence, tasteless jokes, and lying, stealing and cheating. It can be described as slapstick comedy.

It wasn't until after 1825 that Punch transformed from a marionette into a hand puppet, sometimes called a glove puppet. Punch's unique voice is created by an instrument called the swazzle, a special instrument that is placed in the center of the roof of the mouth, and the top of the tongue to create the particular squeaky, kazoo-esque speech that Punch has.

Shows take place in a mobile booth that makes it easy for the puppeteers to travel with. Historically, they would move along the streets of London, gathering people to watch the show. These booths were covered with cheap, red and white checkered fabric which has become the iconic look of a typical Punch and Judy show. The puppets usually interact with the audience by asking them questions and engaging them in the story. Most Punch and Judy shows not only have Professor, but a “Bottler” whose job was to get people to come and watch the show, and collect money, usually in a bottle. The Bottler would also play live music to accompany the show and create sound effects.