The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-02-20
PUNCH AND JUDY. !,
AN ANCIENT STREET SHOW THAT
STILL DELIGHTS THE ENGLISH.


Much Dispute as to Its Origin and uisto-
ry-Mr. lesson Has Played tho Dolls Be-
foro tho Prince of Wales When Ho Was
T. 10y and Also Before His Children.
Who has not wasted u pleasant half hour
watching tho antics of Punch, oven when
VIC ought TO haTo been on moro important
business? 1 once remember seeing tho Into
prime minister lingering ON the edge of q
crowd in Parliament street whilo tho i'm
mortal drama was boing enacted under
"tho pale glimpses of tho moon" 1t was
night on which there was an important
debate, In which tho Grand Old Man de-
livered q telling speech, and who knows
but no made his points tho better for tho
few minutes ho allowed his mind to be ro-
Taxed by watching tho exploits of tho grand
old hero of tho ourbstonc play that has
run u creator numbur of nights than oven
Hamlet" or any of tho othor famous
plays that continue to hold our stage2
We arc never tired of it; no ono Is ever
tired of it. We hnve all watched it rs chill
dren, and when wo grow old, wo like it rs
well rs ever. But whereas 1t was in for
NOR days on tho village green that wo wit
messed it, or in tho convenient by street.
wo may see it now in tho dining ROOM or,
IL 1t be summer time, on tho lawn. For
merly it was thought only fit for tho "rudo
mcohancals' of tho village street or tho
market place; it is now tho fashion for So
oiety to indulge in it, and for royalty evon
to look upon it with pleasure, SO good is
it for every ono to got touch every now
and again of rude, unsophisticated nature.
And Punch and Judy Is rude, and for the
most part very unsophisticatod. Wo arc
however, softening down even this speci-
mon OF good Old' aboriginal humor, and
now 1t moro frequently closes with "nig-
ger" song or something of that nature
than as formerly, with tho death of the
father of evil.
AS regards tho origin and history of
Punch and Judy, thcro is as much dispute
among authorities rs touching tho BIRTH
place of Homer. But on one point there
appears to be little, if any, doubt, and
that is that tho comedy camo to us from
Italy, where it was popular in tho middle
ages, ms Punchincllo CONTRACTED with us
to simple Punch). The original characters
wcrc: Punch, his vito Judy, tho baby,
Toby, the dog, Scaramouch, transmogri-
fled later into tho clown, courtior q doc
tor, constable, tho hangman, etc. In short,
the four chief characters woro always tho
same; tho others change somewhat ac-
cording to localities, national require
ments, etc.
Mr.. Punch is we'll known nearly all
over Europe, rs we'll ms wherever the Eng
lish tongue is spoken. Toby always has
tho distinction Of being performed by
living individual, If one may speak of
humble member of tho canine family rs
an individual. 1t is popularity thought
that dog of breed only can DO trained to
take the part of Toby. This is n mistake,
as was informed by Mr.. lesson, whom
wo may designate tho ''Short" Of the firm
which runs" tho Royal Punch and Judy,
his son taking tho part of Goblin. The
part is always taken by mongrel; moth
ing else in the canine limo will stand tho
training. The Toby Of the present Royal
Punch and Judy is IL years old, and no
has taken the part since ho was few
months old. His father was 90 years old
whom no was born, and he, too, had been
In tho profeSSiOn-On tho stage, SO to sneak
since he was q puppy.
Mr.. lesson "shook tho dolls" before the
Prince of Wales and his brothers and sis
ters when they were littlo children, and
ho remembers his royal hghncss laughing
till tho tears ran down his face when
Punch rolled the baby about rs though no
were making rolly poly pudding of it. in
order. ms he said, "to soothe it to Sleep"
Tho others were amused, but none laughed
like the Prince of Wales
Says Mr.. lesson, with pride, 1--WE play
cd before tho PRINCES children, too, and
they wero just as pleased as thor father
used to be" He adds GIVE played at
windsor, at Marlborough House, ut Buck
ingham palace, Mt Osborne, at Frogmore
and ut Sandringham.
1t should perhaps DO said here, lest too
many of those in search of profession
should rush in, that to be Punch and
Judy Snowman is not so easy as might at
first sight appear. Apart from tho fact
that there is good deal of dialogue to
commit to memory, and that, in our days,
novelties must be introduced from time to
time, tho ono who aspires to perform with
the dolls must DO very ready witted, quick
to get up fresh ''pattcr," good Mt rcpartco,
and if not q Sims Reeves, at least distinct
ly Sims Rcovsy' ut song Then he
must DO something of u mechanical genius
into tho bargain.
Listen to Mr.. Jesson: II mako every
thing connected with tho show myself 1
mako tho franc and the hangings, paint
tho scenery and the drop scene in front, do
tho carving above tho stage, carvo the
heads of the dolls and cut out and sow
their clothes. In fact there is nothing
about tho show don't mako myself-and
my son can do it ali too. That gives us
PicHty Vi Worh TO 40 aG nome, when wo
are not otherwise engaged The dolls, you
sec, got SO much knocking about that they
only last about six months.''
In addition to all this hard work there
is another consideration which should be
taken into account by those wishing to on
tor the profession. 1t is tho danger attach
ed to tho calling. The performer with the
dolls cannot do it without the squcaker-
and he may swallow it. And every ono
who has committed such an error has died
after 1t.
Tho present palmy days for Punch, nc