Punch and Judy Do Gilbert and Sullivan in Dunolly!

Not really, but they might, because  they have the pleasure of appearing at the Dunolly Gilbert and Sullivan Festival on October 12. This is a great weekend of fun and music in the lovely town of Dunolly in Western Victoria.  Performances 9.00am ansd 12.00am  See the website: http://www.dunolly.com.au/gilbert-sullivan-festival/ for details.

RANGA AND WINGNUT ON THE SOS OSTRAYA

That's right! The first   five minute aepisode of Ranga and Wingnut has been completed and is available for viewing at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlBf5oExNSU

Follow the Good ship Ostraya as it navigates the treacherous waters of Ostrayan politics leading up to the  election. 

 Will Cap'n Ranga  sail safely through, or will cabin Boy Wingnut devise a cunning plan to oust her from the helm? Well he already has I can tell you! But you will have to wait for Episode 2 to find out  what this fine-statesman-in-waiting has up the sleeve of his Drip-dry.

Truth is stranger than fiction, but fiction can be pretty weird as well!

PUNCHIE COMES TO SYDNEY!

 'Punch and Judy' is coming to Sydney!  The whole cast is very excited and Death will finally come to Bondi which is good because he needs some sunlight.
 Punchie was offered the Opera House but he wanted something more regal, less seventies, so  we will be performing at Vaucluse House  in Wentworth Road Vauclause, on Sunday June 2 at 12.15 and 1.45pm.  at the  Victorian Vintage Sunday. Tickets for the day are available online at: http://www.hht.net.au/whats_on/event/festivals/a_victorian_sunday_at_home

Yes , very swanky, but Punchie and Co will be in the stables which will suit Toby who likes something to roll in. Lots of fun activities and food. See you there!

PUNCHIE IN THE AUTUMN! DAYLESFORD, MACEDON RANGES REGIONAL TOUR APRIL 2 - 12

Just in case you missed it!  Punch and Judy are performing in their Autumn Tour in the Daylesford  and The Macedon Ranges region this school holidays!

PERFORMANCE DATES:

Daylesford     

Tues.  April 2   11.00am and 2.00pm -  The Rex Theatre, Vincent St, Daylesford

Kyneton         

Mon. April  8   11.00am    - Mechanics Institute Hall Mollison St, Kyneton

Gisborne        

Wed. April 10   11.00am     -The Masonic Hall, Atkins St Gisborne

Mt Macedon  

 Fri. April 12   11.00am - CWA Hall  Mt Macedon Rd Mt Macedon.

Kids $10.00             Adults $12.00                 Family ( 4) $40.00

BOOKINGS PH 0431 064676

DOES PUNCH ENCOURAGE VIOLENCE IN KIDS?

 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.

PUNCHIE IN THE SPRINGTIME A PUNCH AND JUDY TOUR OF THE DAYLESFORD-MACEDON AREA

~ THE SPRINGTIME SEASON ~
MT MACEDON	WED SEPT 26	CWA HALL 662 MT MACEDON RD
CRESWICK	FRI SEPT 28	NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE HALL CRESWICK
DAYLESFORD	SUN SEPT 30	SENIOR CITIZENS ROOM VINCENT ST  DAYLESFORD
KYNETON	MON OCT 1	MECHANICS INSTITUTE HALL MOLLISON ST  KYNETON
GISBORNE	WED OCT 3	MASONIC HALL    CR AITKIN & FISHER ST  GISBORNE
ROMSEY	FRI  OCT 5	MECHANICS INSTITUTE HALL, 122 MAIN ST  ROMSEY
~ ALL SHOWS AT 11.00AM ~
KIDS $10.00 - ADULTS $12.00 – FAMILY (4) $40.00 ENQUIRIES AND BOOKINGS 0431 064676

PUNCH AND JUDY HIT THE GOLDFIELDS AT THE BALLARAT HERITAGE WEEKEND

Punchie and crew are delighted to be performing all weekend at the Ballarat Heritage Weekend http://www.ballaratheritageweekend.com/ on Saturday May 11 and Sunday May 12  in The Ballarat Art Gallery.  There will be five  shorter 20 minute shows each day performing from 10.30am until 5.00 pm.  
Pedal cars, tin toys, rocking horses, carousels and puppet shows are all part of the fun and excitement as you experience Ballarat from the 1930s onwards.