| The Punch
and Judy puppet show has been performed in its current style for about 200
years. The show features Punch and a cast of characters. The show is designed to
be performed by a single puppeteer so only two characters can appear on the
stage at one time. Punch is almost always on the stage in the puppeteer's right
hand and the antagonist character appears in the left hand. |
| Punch
and Judy Set CA 1870s. |
 Punch
- this is the main character of the Punch and Judy show. He is both a
comical and a horrible person. In most plays he kills his baby by
throwing her from the theater into the audience. His voice is characteristically
raspy and high pitched. Puppeteers must practice his voice for a long
time. |
Judy - she is Punch's unfortunate
wife. Punch fights with Judy usually with a bat. Judy fights back. |
 Theater
- Punch and Judy puppet sets were, and still are produced as children's
playthings. This set was produced in Germany, probably around
1900. Each character is hand carved from wood and hand painted. |
 Puppet
Set - This is a large sized set. Puppets are about 20 inches
high. While this set has 11 puppets, there are more than 30 different
Punch and Judy characters that have been used in shows over the years. |
 Baby
- Punch and Judy's child. Punch kills baby and is condemned to death for
it. |
 Toby
- Punch's dog in some stories but Scaramouch's dog in others. |
 Policeman
- Punch is arrested by the policeman for killing baby or in some
stories, his neighbor. Punch is not a nice guy! |
 Baldheaded
Man - one of Punch's neighbors. |
 Monkey
- I haven't found the role of the monkey yet. |
 Hangman
- Jack Ketch - most puppet sets come with a coffin and a hangman's
scaffolding. Punch is taken to the hangman for killing baby but tricks
the hangman into hanging himself. |
 King
- in some stories, Punch sings praises to the King and Queen to gain
favor so he will be saved from the hangman. Punch and Judy shows are
popular in England. |
 Jim
Crow - introduced in the later part of the 19th century, the
Jim Crow character is supposed to be a comical character like the
clown. |
 Priest
- the neighborhood priest tries to reason with Punch but to no avail. |
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