History of Punch & Judy
The puppeteer would usually have an assistant with him known as a 'Bottler'. Their job was to help transport equipment and to announce the arrival of the show perhaps by sounding a trumpet or by beating a drum.
Another important role of the Bottler was to go amongst the crowd asking for donations. These were dropped into a bottle hence the name Bottler.
During the Victorian era came the arrival of the railways. Large swathes of the population at that time started to take visits to the seaside; Punch and Judy decided to join them and became a regular feature.
It was during the Victorian era that the tunic colours of Punch changed to those of the court jester, red and yellow.
Punch and Judy continued to thrive and enthral audiences up until the First World War. After which it continued to thrive again until the outbreak of the Second World War. The numbers of performers was reduced due to conscription.
Some performers who remained at home would replace 'The Devil' with a puppet in the likeness of Adolf Hitler.
Punch and Judy are less prevalent
today than they were in the past,
however, the tradition lives on!
The Punch and Judy Show has its roots in a humorous form of street theatre known as 'commedia dell’arte' performed in Italy over 400 years ago.
The main character in the show was called Punchinello. He was a mischievous character, had a squeaky voice and would hit other characters with a slapstick! hence the phrase 'slapstick humour'.
A marionette version of this play came to England and was first recorded in Covent Garden, London, by the well-known diarist Samuel Pepys. The show was performed by a man named Señor Bologna. It delighted Pepys so much that he recorded it in his diary. He also informed the King about it. The King was said to have watched it and was so impressed that he conferred the honorary title of professor on the puppeteer!
The show became increasingly popular. Performers took to using hand puppets and before long the show began to appear in towns and villages across the country.