Tikumu’s letter

Press, 27 November 1979, Page 18

Tikumu’s letter

Dear Readers, The Puppet Cabaret presented by four French puppeteers has just finished its season in Christchurch. Puppetry was wellknown to most of the ancient civilisations, and its popularity has not waned through the centuries, as was shown by the enthusiastic audiences at each session of the Puppet Cabaret. In the early centuries of Christianity, the church used puppets to help its followers to understand the teachings of the Bible. The Nativity and other re-

ligious scenes were presented by this means in Germany, France and Italy. Gradually comedy entered the puppet shows of Europe, starting in Italy. The noisy impudent Punch that we associate with Britain really began his puppet career in Italy, with the name Pulcinella. He was taken by travelling showmen to France where his name was changed to Polichinelle in keeping with the French language. During the seventeenth century he turned up in England as a rowdy knock-about string puppet called Punchinello. Since he made his debut in England 300 years ago his name has been shortened to Punch, and he has become a glove puppet, but his personality has not changed much; his unconventional attitudes and sometimes bawdy humour continue to delight large audiences. However, Punch’s longsuffering wife, Judy, did not come from Italy. She and her baby, Toby the dog, the policeman, the docotr and sundry other

characters have joined Punch since he arrived in England. His antics in his shows are such that a policeman and a doctor are nearly always needed. Towards the end of the eighteenth century, “live” theatre brought a decline in the popularity of the marionette, or puppet theatres. But not for Punch and Judy, although there were quite drastic changes. It may be said that they “came down in the entertainment world.” But the nature of their performances remained the same, and the changes brought them closer to the people who appreciated them the most. Punch and his troupe began to travel. They performed in the streets and they followed the crowds. Punch and Judy became popular attractions at fairs and seaside resorts during the summer season. Their theatre was a light-weight booth that could be moved easily from place to place. The glove puppet shows could be run by two people. One in the booth working the puppets while

the other played the music and collected the money. The puppeteer held Punch in his right hand, using his left for the other puppets in their turn. The tall booth with the stage at the eye-level of a standing audience meant cheap entertainment and a good view for a large crowd. Very few Punch and Judy plays have been written. The dialogue is partly impromptu, in a style that has been passed on from showman to showman. The dialogue can be varied to suit the occasion, and the music changes with the popular taste. There is an old saying, “There’s no show without Punch." It means a person who likes to run everything and everybody. It is probably true to say of the fairgrounds and carnivals in England, “Thre’s no show without Punch and Judy,” the puppet characters that seem to have survived time and change, without changing themselves. Tikumu