Articles - The World Of Punch & Judy

The World Of Punch & Judy Today (Oct 2024)

Introduction

The Punch ‘Professors’ of today are spread throughout the country working their magic as the bookings demand. The community tends to come together a couple of times annually, first in Covent Garden (The second Sunday in May) and latterly in Bognor Regis (last weekend in September).

The Covent Garden May Fayre, hosted by Alternative Arts, is attended by organisations: The Punch & Judy Fellowship, The Punch and Judy Club, The Punch and Judy College of Professors, and The British Puppet & Model Theatre Guild.

Visitors can mix and mingle with the Professors, carvers, historians and enthusiasts, while watching a variety of shows.

Attendees include Richard Coombs, puppeteer extraordinaire.

Also: Miraiker’s World of Puppets, Bryan Clarke and Teddy Corden.

While Punch Professor’s such as David Wilde, have websites these incur costs and therefore most performers use social media as the primary way to promote themselves; a search of Facebook will prove rewarding.

Many museums have Punch exhibits, the best of which is housed in the Museum of London’s archive or in the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Punch & Judy is a dynamic medium and these exhibits tend to be very static. Newly opened is The Blackpool Museum of The Seaside called Showtime. This has video and play areas as well as talks on related matters.