Friday Fun: Mr. Punch and the Devil

Drawings by George Cruikshank, 1828

This video clip from 2012’s May Fayre and Mr. Punch’s 350th birthday was filmed by Australia’s Chris van der Craats. I’m not sure who the professor is, but he has given us a wonderful recreation of one of George Cruikshank’s famous 1820s illustrations of Mr. Punch. In this scene, Punch is defeating the Devil. That’s the way to do it!

Friday Fun: A Gaggle of Punches

The Punch & Judy Fellowship

What would one call an assembly of Mr. Punch puppets from all over the world? A gaggle? A gang? A murder, like crows? Regardless of the correct term, this wild gathering of Punch Professors (and even a Guignol and a couple of Pulcinellas) comes to us viaThe Punch & Judy Fellowship and their footage from 2010’s annual May Fayre at Covent Garden.


There’s no way that you can watch this herd of puppets singing, “I do like to be beside the seaside,” without smling. Happy Friday!

Friday Fun: Mr. Punch and the Devil

Drawings by George Cruikshank, 1828

This video clip from 2012’s May Fayre and Mr. Punch’s 350th birthday was filmed by Australia’s Chris van der Craats. I’m not sure who the professor is, but he has given us a wonderful recreation of one of George Cruikshank’s famous 1820s illustrations of Mr. Punch. In this scene, Punch is defeating the Devil. That’s the way to do it!

Mr. Punch in the Arts: The Piccini Punch

"Piccini Punch" by Chris van der Craats

As we approach the beginning of Covent Garden’s May Fayre on Sunday and Mr. Punch’s 349th birthday on Monday, May 9, it’s the perfect time to revisit the work of “Piccini.” In the early Nineteenth Century, a travelling puppeteer known as Giovanni Piccini was attracting enthusiastic audiences to his Punch & Judy shows. His work was recorded by artist George Cruikshank who made the image of Mr. Punch famous. It is this variant of Mr. Punch which often comes to mind when thinking of good old Punch.


Punch & Judy Professors occasionally use puppets based on Piccini’s. Australian puppeteer and puppet-maker, Chris van der Craats makes an attractive and authentic reproduction of Piccini’s grimacing hero. He looks good for his age, Mr. Punch does.

(This video shows the puppet in action.  It's an odd size, so don't think it's your computer). 

Schematic for the puppet.
Chris van der Craats

Mr. Punch in the Arts: May Fayre, 2011, Punch’s 349th Birthday!

This Spring, our Mr. Punch turns three hundred thirty-nine years old. He looks good for his age, yes? The centuries haven’t subdued Punch and, now, you can see a whole pack of Punches at the 2011 May Fayre in Covent Garden, London.


The event will take place Sunday, May 8, 2011. This is the Thirty-Sixth annual May Fayre, sponsored by Alternative Arts. The celebration begins with a grand procession of Professors and their puppets. This is a perfect opportunity to see the best Punch professors in the world, to explore Punch-related products and to appreciate all the many different puppets that are in use today.

You have no idea how badly I’d love to attend this. But, being an ocean away is rather prohibitive. Nevertheless, if you, too, are quite far away from Covent Garden, you can still celebrate Mr. Punch’s birthday with a Punch-themed event of your own.

Isn’t that poster fantastic?

Three cheers for Mr. Punch and many happy returns.