Pleased as Punch

August 27, 2010 3:47 AM

May of 1662. Thence to see an Italian puppet play that is within the rayles there, which is very pretty, the best that ever I saw.. The story changes a bit over the ages and is still definitely not PC.
Amongst the puppets is a hangman, a policeman and a crocodile.
Some videos; some galleries 1; 2; and a hall of fame. (First introduced to Metafilter by thomas j wise).
posted by adamvasco (7 comments total)

That's the way to do it!
posted by misteraitch at 4:11 AM on August 27, 2010

As far as your non PC bit goes, here's the real story from Tabloid Watch.
posted by le morte de bea arthur at 5:40 AM on August 27, 2010 [1 favorite]

urrrgh seeing yet another mention in an article of "politically correct" gets my hackles up. It doesn't mean anything anymore, but it's still held up as some kind of symbol of ridiculous liberal laguage as though the phrase still has any relevance. And when it's trotted out in connection with talking about being offended by pretty much anything, no matter if it actually is grossly offensive, then you're an oversensitive politically correct sissy.

Punch and Judy is a story that has been around for hundreds of years, and of course storites will change as the people who change them do, too.
posted by ShawnStruck at 5:50 AM on August 27, 2010 [1 favorite]

Huh, I was just this morning reading about the V&A acquiring a giant Punch and Judy collection. Thanks for the nice links!
posted by Erasmouse at 6:39 AM on August 27, 2010

Not a great scan, but a pretty good read: Punch and Judy, edited by John Payne Collier and illustrated by George Cruickshank.
posted by hades at 9:20 AM on August 27, 2010

Saw a P&J show at a hippie crafts fair in Oregon once, radically recast as "No Punchin' Judy!" Judy's granddaughter rode a skateboard (no mean feat for a puppet) and at the end gave her old granny a lesson. That's Oregon for you.

Also once met a P&J puppeteer who demonstrated the use of the swazzle, the gizmo held in the mouth to produce Punch's nasty little voice. "The older guys say you aren't a real Punch and Judy show until you've swallowed three swazzles," he said. "I have one to go."
posted by tspae at 11:23 AM on August 27, 2010 [1 favorite]

Possible quote from Wikipedia history (paraphrase):

"By being both violent and amoral, Punch is especially beloved by young children".
posted by ovvl at 4:45 PM on August 27, 2010