The herald., 1896-03-02
THE PUNCH AND JUDY SHOW
Which Still Delights the People
of England
ITS ORIGIN IS DISPUTED
But II Is Certainly Ancient and
Probably Italian
MIR. lesson Played the Dolls Before the
Prince Of Wales When He Was
Boy

Watchlng tne antics OF Funoh, even when
we ought to have been on more important
businessP once remember seeing the late
prime minister lingering on the edge Of a
crowd in Parliament street while the i'm
mortal drama was being enacted under
"the pale elinpses Of the MOON" 1t was a
night on which there was An important
debate, in which the Grand Old Man de-
livered a telling Speech and who knows
but he made his points the better for the
few minutes he allowed his mind to be re-
laxed by watching the exploits of the grand
old hero Of the curbstone play that has
run creator number of nights than even
Hamlet" or any of the other famous
plays that continue to hold our stage?
We are never tired of it; no one is ever
tired of 1t. We have all watched It as chill
dren, and when we grow old, we like it as
well as ever. But whereas 1t was in for
mer days on the village green that we wit
messed it, or in tho convenient by street,
we may see it now in the dining room, or,
If it be summer time, Oh the lawn. For
morly it was thought only fit for the rude
mechanicals" of tho village street or the
market place; it is now the fashion for So
ciety TO indulge in it, and for royalty even
to look upon it with pleasure, so good is
1t for every one to get touch every now
and again of rude, unsophisticatcd nature.
And Punch and Judy is rude, and for the
most part very unsophisticated. We are,
however, softening down even this speci-
men of "good old' aboriginal humor, and
now it more frequently closes with a mig
ger" song or something Of that nature,
than, as formerly, with the death of the
father of evil.
AS regards the origin and history of
Punch and Judy, there is as much dispute
among authorities as touching the birth
place of Homer But on one point there
appears to be little if any, doubt, and
that is that the comedy came to us from
Italy, where it was popular in the middle
ages as Punchinello CONTRACTED with us
to simple Punch). The original characters
were: Punch, his wife Judy, the baby,
Toby, the dog, Scaramouch, transmogri-
fed later into the clown, courtier, doc
tor, constable, the hangman, etc. In short,
the four chief characters were always the
same; the others change somewhat &C.
cording to localities, national require
ments etc.
Mr.. Punch is we'll known nearly all
over Europe, as we'll as wherever the Eng
lish tongue is spoken. Toby always has
the distinction of being performed by
living individual, II one may speak of
humble member OF the canine family as
an individual. 1t is popularity thought
that dog of breed only can be trained to
take the part of Toby. This is mistake,
as l was informed by Mr. Jesson, whom
we may designate the Short of the firm
which runs the Royal Punch and Judy,
his son taking the part of Goblin. The
part is always taken by a mongrel; moth
ing else in the canine line will stand the
training. The Toby of the present Royal
Punch and Judy is II years old, and be
has taken the part since he was few
months old His father was 80 years old
when he was born, and he, too, had been
in the profession-on tho stage, so to speak
since he was "a puppy.
Mr. lesson ''shook the dolls' before the
Prince of Wales and his brothers and sis
tiers when they were little children, and
he remembers his royal highness laughing
till the tears ran down his face when
Punch rolled the baby about as though he
were making a rolly poly pudding of it, in
order, as he said, "to soothe it to Sleep"
The Others were amused, but none laughed
like the Prince of Wales.
Says Mr.. Jesson, with pride, GIVE play
ed before the princes children, too and
they wero just as pleased as their father
used to be- Ho adds, "I've played at
Windsor, at Marlborough House, at Buck
ingham palace, at Osborne, at Frogmore
and at Sandringham."
1t should perhaps be said here, lest too
many of those in search of a profession
should rush in, that to be a Punch and
Judy Snowman is not so easy as might at
first sight appear Apart from the fact
that there is Il good deal of dialogue to
commit to memory, and that in our days,
novelties must be introduced from time to
time, the one who aspires to perform with
the dolls must be very ready witted, quick
to get up fresh ''patter." good at repartee,
and if not Sims Reeves, at least distinct
ly ''Sims Reevsy' at u song. Then he
must be something Of a mechanical genius
into the bargain.
Listen to Mr.. Jesson: II make every
thing connected with tho show myself. l
make the frame and tho hangings. paint
the scenery and the drop scene in front, do
the carving above the stage, carve tho
heads of the dolls and cut out and sew
their clothes. In fact, there is nothing
about the show don't make nlyself-and
my son can do ii all too. That gives us
plenty OF work to do at home, when we
are not otherwise engaged. The dolls, you
see, get 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 en-
ter the profession. 1t is the danger attach
ed to the calling. The performer with the
dolls cannot do it without the squeaker-
and ne may swallow it. And every one
who has committed such an error has died
after it.
The present palmy days for Punch, ac-
cording to Mr.. lesson. date from about 30
years ago People then began to write
about the show" said he, ''and that led
to its becoming more popular and then
being taken up by tho rich, and,' added
he, Its popularity grows year by year"
Speaking of the music of the show, ev-
cry lover Of Punch and Judy must hold
that the introduction of the dNlcimer and
the other like fantastic Instruments, in
place of the Pandean pipes and the drum,
Is of the nature of an impertinence, and
ought not to be tolerated. But this as
well as other matters connected with
Punch and Judy will, understand, be
seen to shortly; as, following in the wake
OF the Browning, the Goethe, the Ancient
Monuments and other similar societies,
there is to be Punch and Judy society
or, at least, so it is whispered. STRAND
Magazine. --------------.----
Not So Terrible.
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