This episode begins in the 1660s, when a puppeteer named Signor Bologna performs with marionettes in Covent Garden. The star of the show is the Italian commedia dell’arte character, Pulcinella. British will audiences take to him and make him their own, as Pulcinella morphs into the iconic Punch.
We’ll look at:
- The history of this character,
- How his attributes adapted to an English audience,
- The factors that changed his act from bawdy satire for gents into a family show,
- How Victorian progress cemented Punch and Judy as seaside attractions,
- The current state and controversy of Punch and Judy and violence,
- Current media influenced by the Punch and Judy show,
- One particular Punch puppeteer and HER legacy.
See our show notes, with lots of photos and more, HERE.