Punch and Judy sometimes gets criticism for encouraging and condoning violence. This criticism is usually in response to its reputation rather than in rrsponst to a viewing of the performance.
The show is best understood within the tradition of fairy and folk-tales. Punch is an archetype in the comic tradition He is a fool who is unable to learn by his mistakes and so repeats them and the child audience is not slow in picking this up. A contemporary parallel is Homer Simpson.
The play has ten characters In performance at the beginning of the show the audience ( usually of children aged 4 + with parents) are invited to comment on Punch's behaviour and interact with the characters during the show. Punch is introduced by the puppeteer as a character who is deeply flawed, and not very smart, and so is in need of advice from them. They are encouraged, indeed schooled, to judge and comment during the show.
In the action, Punch is presented as a character who solves his problems through hitting other characters, usually accidentally killing them with a stick. He is neglectful of his baby who he accidentally throws out of a window, landing on a bus to Sydney. Judy hie wife, whom he loves, beats him for his neglect and he accidentally kills her. He then goes on to accidentally kill others who attack him. The kids are usually both shocked and amused by he action (it is comedy after all.) and tell Punch very clearly what he is doing wrong and what he should do. This puts the children in a position of moral authority and knowledge over Punch, a position which they rarely have in their everyday ilfe where it is they who are instructed by others what to do and how to behave.
Not only that, they have permission to 'tell' Punch vocally. In effect, they become the 'parent' to Punch their low status position in life ( parents, teachers, other siblings) is turned into a high status position. I assure you, they become very vocal: they instruct, they criticise, they laugh at his poor judgement, and sometimes they encourage, as in Punch's struggle with the Devil and with Death near the end of the show. In his dejected and remorseful state at the end of the show Judy and Baby are restored to him.
The show is both puppetry and comedy. As puppetry, it is un-real, and safe. As comedy, it portrays human foible, fallibility and error in a humorous context. No child walks away traumatised by this show although many walk away with ideas of creating their own puppet performances.
The show is best understood within the tradition of fairy and folk-tales. Punch is an archetype in the comic tradition He is a fool who is unable to learn by his mistakes and so repeats them and the child audience is not slow in picking this up. A contemporary parallel is Homer Simpson.
The play has ten characters In performance at the beginning of the show the audience ( usually of children aged 4 + with parents) are invited to comment on Punch's behaviour and interact with the characters during the show. Punch is introduced by the puppeteer as a character who is deeply flawed, and not very smart, and so is in need of advice from them. They are encouraged, indeed schooled, to judge and comment during the show.
In the action, Punch is presented as a character who solves his problems through hitting other characters, usually accidentally killing them with a stick. He is neglectful of his baby who he accidentally throws out of a window, landing on a bus to Sydney. Judy hie wife, whom he loves, beats him for his neglect and he accidentally kills her. He then goes on to accidentally kill others who attack him. The kids are usually both shocked and amused by he action (it is comedy after all.) and tell Punch very clearly what he is doing wrong and what he should do. This puts the children in a position of moral authority and knowledge over Punch, a position which they rarely have in their everyday ilfe where it is they who are instructed by others what to do and how to behave.
Not only that, they have permission to 'tell' Punch vocally. In effect, they become the 'parent' to Punch their low status position in life ( parents, teachers, other siblings) is turned into a high status position. I assure you, they become very vocal: they instruct, they criticise, they laugh at his poor judgement, and sometimes they encourage, as in Punch's struggle with the Devil and with Death near the end of the show. In his dejected and remorseful state at the end of the show Judy and Baby are restored to him.
The show is both puppetry and comedy. As puppetry, it is un-real, and safe. As comedy, it portrays human foible, fallibility and error in a humorous context. No child walks away traumatised by this show although many walk away with ideas of creating their own puppet performances.
