Punch & Judy

[Twocky61]

The Punch & Judy show was a big part of the summer beach holiday

Weymouth & Swanage beaches still have them which is endearing for kids nowadays on the internet

I saw the one on Weymouth beach last year and the most amusing part was when Punch said:

"Do these kids realise they are cheering & clapping a lump of wood?"

In the tv series Hi De Hi the old guy with the Punch & Judy show always said:

"I hate kids" which was surprising when he was performing with Punch & Judy for the kids he hates lol

[amethyst]

Re: Punch & Judy

If the PC brigade have they way would ban them all

Just been a traditional fun seaside thing which we should hang onto

[darren]

Re: Punch & Judy

S a kid i found it kinda scary.

good to see they still do it twocky at the beach.
Im shocked it aint been banned.

[staffslad]

Re: Punch & Judy

I haven't seen a P & J show for so many years, probably at least 20. Have they toned down the violence of Punch bashing Judy and the baby now? Originally, Punch ended up being hanged, but usually tricked the hangman into hanging himself and escaping his crimes, but I don't think I've seen a show with an ending like that since the 60s or possibly 70s.

When I was young, you could buy Punch and Judy toothpaste.

[Richard1978]

Re: Punch & Judy

I haven't seen a P & J show for so many years, probably at least 20. Have they toned down the violence of Punch bashing Judy and the baby now? Originally, Punch ended up being hanged, but usually tricked the hangman into hanging himself and escaping his crimes, but I don't think I've seen a show with an ending like that since the 60s or possibly 70s.

When I was young, you could buy Punch and Judy toothpaste.

I think my cousins had that, it was a weird synthetic strawberry flavour.

[staffslad]

Re: Punch & Judy

I can't really remember much about the flavour but there was a picture of P & J on the box and tube.

As for the shows, a ghost, the devil and a policeman were among the other characters.

[I. R. Fincham]

Re: Punch & Judy

And a crocodile.

[staffslad]

Re: Punch & Judy

Mention of the crocodile reminded me that it would be after a string of sausages Punch has to look after. A Toby dog also used to be in the show, either a puppet or a real dog that performed tricks. I have only ever seen one performance where a real Toby dog featured. I seem to remember that it had a ruff around its neck and wore a little hat.

[Donald the Great]

Re: Punch & Judy

Punch & Judy shows were very popular at UK seaside resorts I understand. Are they still? They have never had the same popularity in Australia not where I gew up anyway. There is a segment in a Brit made horror anthology when we are made to believe a Punch character comes to life and kills a family. The killer was in fact a demented former P&J entertainer who believed he was Punch.

[George 1978]

Re: Punch & Judy

I have found it ironic that Punch and Judy is very much a children's thing, yet it is a puppet equivalent of what a human being would not do in a drama before the watershed on television, with the exception of soap operas.

I have always been amazed at how often just one puppeteer can control several puppets at the same time - when you think of children's television series that have puppets, and even adult series like Spitting Image, it must have been a logistical task, crawling down in an uncomfortable position so that the audience can't see you, and have to also do strange voices using one of those organs for Punch's voice for 15 minutes.

I never really went to the seaside (apart from Skegness), and I hardly ever saw Punch and Judy there. Mind you, I visited one of those country shows a few years ago, and there was one there. One felt out of place watching something that was intended for those a lot younger than oneself - the magic must have gone over the years,

It seems like a very British thing, especially due to the political correctness that it brings along with it. If you are talking about puppets, Zippy and George on Rainbow back in the early 1980s was what I would call my own version of Punch and Judy.

[Trickyvee]

Re: Punch & Judy

I grew up close to a seaside resort so was very familiar with the sight of Punch and Judy shows, but I never actually sat and watched one. I just don't think I liked them.

[staffslad]

Re: Punch & Judy

Punch & Judy shows were very popular at UK seaside resorts I understand. Are they still? They have never had the same popularity in Australia not where I gew up anyway. There is a segment in a Brit made horror anthology when we are made to believe a Punch character comes to life and kills a family. The killer was in fact a demented former P&J entertainer who believed he was Punch.

I think the anthology you mean is called 'Screamtime'. I believe there were 3 stories, with the Punch and Judy one being the first if my memory is correct.

[Danniella]

Re: Punch & Judy

I think the anthology you mean is called 'Screamtime'. I believe there were 3 stories, with the Punch and Judy one being the first if my memory is correct.

I remember watching Punch and Judy in Southport, we were all sat on the floor waiting for it to start, Southport is a seaside town not far from Liverpool.