The mouthpiece of the Punch & Judy Fellowship SUMMER ISSUE

2012

Vol 10, Issue 1 No 144

VOL 9 Issue 10
No 150

Its a bumper
Summer number
thanks to
members heeding
Mr Punch and Friends: Lincoln 2012 the cry in the
by Clive Chandler Birthday Issue that
the Swazzle in-tray
Thanks to the PJF, something very special was empty.
happened in the sunny streets of Lincoln on Hopefully the in-
Friday 27, Saturday 28 and Sunday 29th July tray will be further
2012. replenished by the
time an Autumn
issue is due.
The historic City of Lincoln played host
to a massive 3-day festival featuring 60 Your ongoing
performances from 8 Punch Professors working contributions are
alongside 4 international companies. As well not only sought,
as non-stop Punch shows, there were Giant they ARE the
Swazzle.
Dancing Puppets accompanied by a live band
parading around the streets, and a puppet- glyn@punch-and-
making workshop where members of the judy.com
public could make their own take-away puppet.
Performers came from Italy and Portugal with Mr
Punchs cousins Pulcinella and Dom Roberto.
Continued inside on pages 7 - 13
 CHAIRMANS HELLO
Welcome to this edition of The Swazzle. I hope members enjoyed the 350th
Birthday issue. This summers weather has not been great, to say the
least; spending all day in a muddy field with the rain lashing down is no fun.
However, the brave crowds, big or small, still enjoy old red nose entertaining
them! It was therefore wonderful that the sun shone for our Mr Punch and
Friends three day event in Lincoln which was very well organised by Clive
Chandler and John Thursby. I would like to thank all the Profs who took part
along with our European friends who brought Punchs cousins with them. I
must give a special mention to Joseph Peek whose day did not start well
when he and his Mum, Julie, left his proscenium at home (havent we all left
something behind at some time or other?). Using Paul Wheelers booth and
standing on a stool, he proved what a trouper he is, giving two very good
performances for someone so young.

I mentioned in my last notes of the committees plans to hold a performers

masterclass. Arrangements are still being finalised but this will be a two day
gathering in Grantham on 27th & 28th October. The sessions will follow
each section of the full members assessment sheet, culminating with an
assessment for full membership for those members wishing to do so. The
event will be free to members but you will need to meet your own costs
of travel and accommodation (we hope to be able to make a block hotel
booking at a discounted rate). To make a booking please email me with your
name, address and contact details at strimby@tiscali.co.uk or phone 07762
286825.

Many of you will have noticed that our website has not been updated. This
is sadly due to a delay in the handover from Mark Andrews to Pete Milsom
but Pete is now working to update the site. At the time Mark resigned from
the committee, he requested that his resignation letter be included in The
Swazzle. The committee agreed to this request but at the same time felt that
given the content, a right of reply should be given to The Swazzle editor,
Glyn Edwards. Both letters are on the following pages. Members views
on the issues raised would be welcomed by the committee and should be
forwarded via the Chairman at my contact details above.

Finally I look forward to meeting members at the PJFs festival in Covent

Garden on Sunday 7th October. Heres hoping for better weather for the rest
of the summer.

Best wishes. Gary Trimby (Professor Dumpling)

A letter to the Committee and to our Members to be read at the
Committee Meeting 29/3/12 and to be printed in the next Swazzle.

It is with a mixture of frustration and sadness that I write as I have

decided to step down from the position of Secretary of The Punch and
Judy Fellowship.

For the most part I have greatly enjoyed my work for the Fellowship
and think I have achieved a lot. Working with Jon, Wilma and David on
Sales such as the book and DVDs has been great, and together with
Pete on the Membership our coffers have increased by over 12,000.
The website which I built is now one of the top ranking Punch and Judy
websites, and the online sales and membership directory are well used
by performers and the public.

I am very proud of the work Ive done with the Committee over the last
few years, helping raise the profile of the organization, but I feel that
the Fellowship has been taken on a ride recently, with certain members
trying to use the status of the Fellowship as a springboard for their own
work.

This year is a milestone for Punch, and the Fellowship is working hard to
celebrate him wherever possible, but I believe that other organisations
are working to promote themselves rather than Punch, and doing so
through the PJF. I found it very surprising that we had little or no input
into the proceedings or planning the Big Grin events. David Wilde was
supposed to be representing the Fellowship on their steering group, but
has felt left out from this too. Id asked him to inquire about the programme
of events, and how the money was to be spent but he was told mind
your own business, and that it was to be decided by the Puppetlink
Trustees and The Fedora Group. I can imagine that The Fellowships
name appeared throughout the paperwork, and had we taken against the
application it would have had a much tougher time going through. The
Fellowship is the main professional body of Punch performers, but is not
profiting from the grant in any real way. Seemingly only one performer is.
There is great trumpeting of exhibitions and the like, many of which are
already on permanent display anyway. Is this a celebration of Punch or
a commercial enterprise?

I see little reason for our newssheet to be doing the job that a publicist
should be doing. Our members pay for the newssheet to be produced,
so it should have our members news. Everyone involved in organising
the Fellowships party has spent a lot of their own time sorting it, so it
is very frustrating to see this sidelined, and forced into second place
by the editors own party. I understand why he did it, but it only proves
that it is not right for the Editor to have such a prominent position in
another organization. The Swazzle is for our news, and should cover
other organisations events as an occasional favour.

There were a number of digs at me in the last edition, which were

unnecessary, having been cleared up at the meeting. It is wrong to use
the editorial to comment to members on meetings, especially when the
committee had agreed that Dess article would cover this.

I found the last Committee Meeting very frustrating and reading the
last edition of the Swazzle even more so as I dont like the way certain
Committee members are trying to steer the organization. I do not wish to
have any further association with them or with those other members of
the Committee who appear to condone their actions.

Pete and James have agreed to look after the Website and Secretarial
duties until the next AGM, and I thank them for that.

I wish you all the best, and hope that the wool doesnt stay covering too
many eyes.

Mark Andrews 27th March 2012

Right of reply

Things were never going to go well between the former secretary and
me after I discovered hed given a lower grading than deserved to an
associate member at their Full Membership assessment because - in his
own words - Hed p****d me off.

As a founder member of the PJF I thought this attitude was a stab in the
back to Old Red Nose himself. I questioned the secretary in committee
about his behaviour and instead of turning up to the following meeting he
sent a letter of resignation via a messenger.

This was a deja vu moment. On joining the committee as Swazzle editor

a few years back the (now) former secretary had only recently returned
to being secretary after a previous resignation of his.

I will assume for the sake of argument that my no longer being in his
good books has prompted his less than generous assessment of The
Big Grin. He ignores the fact that the project is a mosaic made up
entirely of ideas invited from willing partners (including the PJF) before
the award and not after it. He knows that David Wildes idea for the
PJF a private dinner and cabaret for members and guests wasnt
eligible for public funding and couldnt be included. He knows that the
Lincoln Festival (which met the test of providing public benefit) picked
up the baton and was. He knows that only those projects included in
the funding application remained part of the on-going process and now
share the outcome.

He also knows that to get a major funding award through the system
took a combination of PuppetLinks status as a registered charity, its
long track record of delivering similar multi-partner projects plus its new
support from big hitters like the V&A and the Cultural Olympiad. The PJF
simply doesnt yet have that kind of firepower although its recent ACE
funding success is the first step along that particular road.

The former secretary felt that Punchs Big Grin Birthday was
overshadowing the PJF Dinner and Cabaret and so held up publication
of the pre-May Swazzle. As Editor I felt that the once-in-a-generation
Covent Garden spectacular was newsworthy to Profs. In the end both
were enormous fun and the former secretary came to neither.
For all I know he was holding an alternative festival of sour grapes
somewhere under the title of The Big Whinge.

As for including non-members news in the Swazzle, Id always assumed

Mr. Punch was a Full Member but if his subs have lapsed Ill happily pay
up on his behalf so that his interesting exploits can still be chronicled
without upsetting secretaries past, present or future.

Id been a fan of the skills and energies of the former secretary up to

the point when I felt he forgot he was elected to serve the members
and started to act as if he was doing them a favour. Or as he himself
expressed it when talking about the website in the Swazzle (Autumn
2011) inclusion has always been entirely at the discretion of the
Secretary as it is not an entitlement of membership. That didnt sound
like a PJF Secretary to me - it sounded suspiciously like the Beadle.

Not that it was the discretion of the Secretary but his sheer blatant
bias that was revealed when he marked down a members assessment
grades for personal reasons. From the secretary of an organisation with
the word fellowship in the title thats plain disgraceful. It mocks the
integrity of whole assessment procedure and brings the PJF itself the
work of many people over many years - into disrepute.

Since James Arnotts resolution at the AGM, the only way an associate
member can get onto the website is via the assessment for Full
Membership. Theres no place there for a judge with a grudge. That
is indeed an issue for resignation (or in this case re-resignation) so I
believe that the former secretary has done the right thing. I wish him well.

Punch and Judy politics, regrettably, isnt confined to Westminster

and Id been wondering whether this unedifying little Prof on Prof spat
might not seem in poor taste during a celebratory year for Mr. Punch.
Then I realised that if it allows the PJF to close the chapter on such
silly nonsense and to move forward with a brand new chapter promoting
fellowship and (dare I say it) fun, it could actually be a very good birthday
present for Old Red Nose. Perhaps even allowing the PJF to aspire to
reaching the age of 350 itself one day. That indeed would be the way to
do it - and worth any present unpleasantness. Glyn Edwards.
 LINCOLN (continued from front page)

There were robust street marionettes from Belgium and exquisite

puppets from Hungary. With an eye to the continuation of the tradition,
seasoned performers supported young Joseph Peek (aged 9). This was
all enjoyed by more than 5000 smiling people.
a
Events took place up and down the main High Street and around a
specially constructed beach in City Square. On the Sunday things
moved up to castle grounds and the streets approaching the castle.
Everything was outdoors and free (apart from an admission to the castle
grounds on Sunday).

Of course none of this happened by accident. What should the PJF

be doing to celebrate the 350th Birthday of Mr Punch? That was the
question the PJF committee asked itself as we approached 2012. One
answer was to organise a festival. This is something in which I have
some experience, so I offered to take a lead. We decided that this
PJF festival should be based on the annual Lincoln event organised
by John Thursby. Up-grading this would make more sense than doing
something from scratch. John and I got our heads together and come
up with a proposal which the committee fully supported. The idea was
to take the bit of funding already available through Lincoln Big (Business
Improvement Group) and add to this a sum from the PJF coffers. The
contribution from the PJF included a sum of 500 from The Big Grin,
and Lincoln Castle also offered 500. Taken all together the available
funding was in the region of 8000. I then made an application to Arts
Council England for an additional 8000 in a bid to double our money.
This was successful, giving a total budget of approx 16000. In fact, just
to amuse myself, I made the budget add up to 16620; being the date of
Pepys diary entry plus a nought. The award from ACE was exactly half
of that. This is the first time the PJF has made a funding application, and
having taken on the considerable task of writing the application on behalf
of the organisation, I was delighted that it paid off.
From the outset John and I were keen that all the money should be
seen be going to pay the professional fees to all those taking part, rather
than to ourselves for organising the event. The decision was made at
the start that although a proper fee of 2500 had been included in our
figures to be paid to us as festival directors, we would donate this back
to the PJF. We would still be paid for any performance work and covered
for expenses, but the organisation of the festival was to be our gift to Mr
Punch and the PJF.

During the planning stage an email was sent out by the secretary asking
full PJF members to get in touch if they would like to be part of the event.
After taking responses into account, the final line up was: John Thursby,
Clive Chandler, Chippy Wood, Dan Slater, Rod Burnett, Martin Bridle,
Paul Wheeler, and Joseph Peek. We were pleased that this included
those who had supported events in Lincoln in previous years as well
as some significant new faces. The internationals were Andrs Lenart/
Mikropodium from Budapest in Hungary, Marc Beuten from Brugge in
Belgium, Jose Gil/S.A.Marionetas from Alcobaca in Portugal and Irene
Vecchia from Naples in Italy. Cath Conolly provided the puppet making
workshop.
Following the award from ACE, The Big Grin/PuppetLink offered a further
contribution totalling 1600.

Being the street performers we are, we also passed around the hat.

I know that many members of the PJF frown at funding, but the truth
is that a special event on this scale simply isnt possible without it. We
did bottle 400 but this would have paid for a single performer. With
the funding we were able to ensure that the UK performers received
fees in the order of 300 per day, and the international visitors 400
per day. (An appropriate fee for Joseph Peek was met from the PJFs
fund to support young performers). Musicians, puppeteers in the giants,
and workshop leaders were paid a basic of 150 per day, plus travel as
required. We were able to cover the hotel costs for all those taking part.
Even using the budget Ibis Hotel and getting a half price deal, this added
up to over 1200. A further 1200 was needed to cover the flights for our
overseas guests. We used an 8-seater taxi to transport our international
guests from the hotel to their performance spots. We were very pleased
to engage the services of Melvyn Rawlinson to video the event and also
to employ a professional photographer. In due course we will make the
video and photos available. The PJF Chair, Gary Trimby, came along to
lend support.

Everything went according to plan and John and I felt the work that we
had put in really paid off. We were very lucky with the weather. The rain
held off until just after our final performances on the Sunday, by which
time we had made it to the local pub.

As well as all the public performances, one of the joys of a well-organised

festival is to sit down and eat and drink with everybody. We were able
to this on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings, with the
Saturday event being a meal in Johns local pub paid for by the festival
where the landlord did us proud with Lincolnshire sausages and where
Jose Gil gave an impromptu performance of Rosa and Her Three Lovers
to the amusement of all of us, and a number of regulars in the bar. There
was a very strong sense of international friendship and a real recognition
of the importance of the Punch and Judy Fellowship in bringing punch
people together.
And so as part of the wider celebrations for Mr Punch this year, The
Punch and Judy Fellowship has produced a proper festival to be proud
of. Well done us!

Due to a current hiccup in the running of the PJF website it was difficult to promote
the event in that way, but all PJF members who are signed up to PuppeteersUK will
have received full information in advance of the event via the e-newsletter including
a PDF file of the publicity.
Some quotes from our overseas friends

"so eventos como o que se realizou em Lincoln que do fora para a

tradio do teatro de marionetas continuar"'

"Its events like this one in Lincoln that give strength to the tradition of puppet
theatre to continue

-----------------------

"Dom Roberto, o primo Portugus do Mr. Punch est feliz pelo seu
aniversrio e a cidade de Lincoln foi e perfeita para celebrar a arte da
marioneta"

" Dom Roberto, the Portuguese cousin of Mr. Punch is happy for his birthday
and the city of Lincoln was and is perfect to celebrate the art of puppetry"

----------------------------------------------------------

- "boa organizao; muito bons amigos; bom aniversrio; boas pessoas; e

uma cidade linda"

- "good organization, good friendship, good birthday, good people, and a

beautiful city"

Jos Gil / S.A.Marionetas Portugal

I like very much British audience!

Irene Vecchia, Italy

 NEWS FROM ALL OVER

Best wishes to Terry Herbert

recently fitted with a pacemaker
courtsey of Dr. Duck and hanging
up the figures at least temporarily
as a result. Says he I have not
been able to drive or do any shows
for about 6 weeks until I after my
first check up then all being well it
should be back to normal. Punch is
pretty strenuous hence the reason
for giving it a rest. The Swazzle
extends speedy recovery wishes
on behalf of all its readers.

Glanville Magor writes...

Thank you very much for the copy of the Swazzle that arrived today.
It made me very sad and nostalgic that, in the end, I was not able to
make it to Covent Garden. In addition so many new faces (excellent
idea!) and some missing one (inevitable!) I was thinking how The
Swazzle has matured over the years, like a lot us. In its case it is a
case of nothing but improvements all the way. In my case, now 87, it
is the reverse, I am afraid. I had a year off ten years ago being treated
for cancer - seemingly successfully. It put an end to my performing
and greatly restricted what I did in the Church. Actually I returned to
where I started as a student during the War and went back to playing
the organ. Last year even that had to stop as my sight is failing and
also my hearing. I gave a final concert and then remarked that a half-
deaf and half-blind organist is not ideal so this is my Goodbye and
have not played in public any more. You mention that your in-tray is
empty. After the recent Toby Tailpiece I had an idea and have attached
a suggestion with two examples . Let me know sometime what you
think. Very best wishes Glanville. (See back page: Ed)
PJF Secretary James Arnott writes....

This October will be our last Punch and Judy Fellowship Festival in
The Piazza at Covent Garden Market. The event has become a bit of a
nightmare with endless paperwork, red tape, and the possibility of the
venue being cancelled at the last minute. So lets make 2012 a good
one, both for Punch and for the Fellowship.

With it being the last year, and with space being at a premium wed like
to know who wants to perform this October 7th. The Committee is asking
any members wishing to perform to register in advance with us, so that
we can make sure everyone gets a chance to perform in this wonderful
location.

If youre planning on bringing your show that day please email

(arnott.rj@gmail.com) or phone (07970245774) to let me know.

Id also ask you to include proof of your Public Liability Insurance, at the
request of the Covent Garden Management Team

PJF Membership Secretary Pete Milsom writes...

Im pleased to report that two more associate members have now swelled
the ranks of Full Members in this special birthday year for Mr. Punch.

They are Gary Trimby, and Colin Parkhill to whom we say Thats the
way to do it.

Will members please note the information in the Chairmans Hello about
assessment opportunities at the Grantham masterclass in October as
well as at the final PJF Covent Garden Festival on Oct 7th.
 RED NOSED MISCELLANY
Dave Hendy writes...

Customers!

Recently I was telephoned by a potential client and asked to entertain,

a group of children at a church event with Mr Punch. Now I knew that
this church wasnt main stream but I certainly was prepared for this.

I was asked to entertain with Punch and Judy for an hour. I explained
that my show didnt last a whole 60 minutes, but I could complete the
rest of the time with some magic.

No! came the immediate reply, The Elders would not accept that
sort of thing in the church.

Not wishing to loose the booking I suggested some balloon modelling,

but that was dismissed as there would be too many children present.

I questioned the logic of his decision, as surely he knew that some

considered a Punch and Judy show was violent, and wouldnt that
upset some of the members of his church.No he had considered that
and that would be OK as it was traditional.

Finally, in desperation I suggested some conjuring. Oh! he replied,

That would be fine!!!

Funny old world isnt it.

Ray Da Silva has adapted a limerick and sends it in to see if

Swazzle readers can rise to the challenge of writing some more
in this vein. Who knows? There could even be prizes.
There was an old Punch Prof from Devon
Who died and went straight off to Heaven
With get-ins all done
It's off for some fun
Swazzling twenty-four seven
 TERCENTENARY EYEWITNESS
Ray Da Silva also sends us this from the archives:

AN EXTRACT FROM TOM LUNNONS PUNCH & JUDY LOG BOOK

FOR 26th MAY 1962.

On the 26th of May 1962 Mister Punch celebrated his 300th birthday, and
I was fortunate enough to take part in the celebrations - and celebrate
we did! As the show was first seen by Samuel Pepys in 1662 in the
area of Covent Garden Market, it was only fitting that the tercentenary
celebrations should take place in the same spot. To me, this was certainly
a day to remember. I shall now record the day in a homely and simple
fashion.

I arrived at St Pauls, Covent Garden at mid-day, but in the true tradition

of the theatre the rehearsal was in full swing and had been since 11.15.
Percy Press (Senior) had about 30 swazzlers in full cry, what a sound. I
stood and watched the rehearsal - while I watched Arthur Hambling and
Ernest Brisbane joined me. Arthur Hambling, apart from being one of my
oldest and dearest friends, also schooled me in the art of Punch. I was
delighted to see Arthur at this triumphant and historic of days, as he was
one of the Guilds founder members, the old school, really old, 1935 and
all that. I knew he would not be disappointed with all the work that Guild
of the 1960s had put into the day.

At 10 minutes past 2 the sky was looking very overcast, but drab old
Covent Gardens started to brighten up like a Christmas tree. There was
a regal multiple booth under the portico, this was flanked by three Punch
frames, a crowd was gathering, and what a colourful crowd. There was
a delightful little girl who might have been Eliza Doolittles sister, five
lads in green, all representing the Guild of tomorrow. There was Clown
Smokey, delightfully attired, he would have made Pagliacci go out like a
damp squib. I had never seen Smokey before, but how I look forward to
seeing him again somewhere.

Over the whole scene a face seemed to smile down on us all, it seemed
to convey a comment a lot of us, nay, all know well. Thats the way to
do it! St Pauls Church was packed, and many of the congregation had
our beloved old rogue with them. Punch was blessed, prayed for and
practically sermonised. I say practically because halfway through the
sermon, Toby barked, as if to say - If you pray to hard, youll make the
old villain a saint. Old Nick would be disappointed. After lusty hymn
singing, we all trooped out to the climax of the day. The cameras were
lined up, and the swazzlers got into position, those who couldnt - I was
one of them - stood either side. I didnt mind, because I have not done
a season at the seaside and the boys in the picture had. Mr Codmans
Toby really stole the show, I think I last saw a Toby perform in 38.

As at all birthday parties, Mister Punch, whose birthday it was, cut

the cake, and a vast Roman candle showered us with sparks, thats
a whopper. This Mister Punch, one of thirty in the stand, is the most
magnificent Punch I have ever seen. As Samuel Pepys would have
commented, A pretty sight! With accordion playing and drums banging,
swazzlers and clowns alike marched triumphantly to watch a plaque to
Mister Punch unveiled, I really say to his memory, because he is still very
much alive, and will be after I have gone and am forgotten. Then we all
marched back into the full view of the cameras. This time, I made sure I
was right in the picture.

The ceremony had hardly finished before Punch started squawking

away inside one of the frames. I watched one or two shows, then made
my way over to the Concert Artistes Association Club for tea. During tea,
telegrams were read, and Percy Press and Gerald Morice were thanked.
 Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Sailor?
Paul Jackson writes....

In his paper for the Theatre Research International: The Origin of Punch
and Judy: A New Clue? (Vol.20 pp200-206) George Speaight describes
half a dozen little sketches, originally collected by Bruno Leone (A Big
Grin Pulcinella performer), and published by the Civica Sculoa dArte
Drammatica Piccolo Teatro of Milan. Each record the performances of a
Neapolitan puppeteer, one Nunzio Zampella, Zampella who is regarded
as having preserved the authentic style more perfectly than any one
else and who was the object of Brunos interest, as Bruno wished to
resurrect the authentic Pulcinella street show. While the character of the
Beggar caught my eye in the first Adventures of Pulcinella it was the
appearance of another character that recently had cause to give me a
real ting light bulb moment. Here are the two playlets:

Il Cane (The Dog): Pulcinella in beating time to his song accidentally

hits the Dog, who growls. Pulcinella hides behind the wing, but returns
cautiously and starts to stroke it. The Dog then seizes the hand of
Pulcinella, who calls for help. The Dog owner arrives, they fight and he is
killed. A monk comes in and helps to carry the body away, but Pulcinella
contrives that he knocks his head against the wing and is killed. Teresina
enters to ask what has happened, and the play ends with a dance and
song.

Il Posto Privato, IArresto, la Confessione e lImpiccagione (The

Private Place, the Arrest, the Confession and Hanging) opens with
Pulcinella singing a song. A Neapolitan Hooligan copies his movements
behind him, and then tells him that he cannot sing here. They fight and
the Hooligan is killed. Pulcinella is putting his body in a coffin when a
Carabiniere arrives and arrests him. A monk appears, and asks if he
has anything to confess. Pulcinella whispers and the monk gives him
benediction in bogus Latin. A Hangman comes on, erects a gibbet,
and instructs Pulcinella to place his head in the noose, but Pulcinella
pretends not to understand and asks the Hangman to show him how.
The Hangman puts his head in the noose; Pulcinella pulls the rope
and hangs him. The usual dance with Teresina and a good-night to the
audience concludes the performance.
Georges essay then identifies a painting of a show, with a dog, of the
1760s (predating the 1828 script of Piccini) and then goes on to accept
that Brunos scripts presented a realistic representation of the Neapolitan
street show of some two hundred years earlier. I have taken some fairly
large jumps in summarising Georges work and George uses the Dog as
his vehicle. He compares the Italian elements of Pulcinellas show with
those of the English show and Im about to suggest that he got it wrong
in at least one respect.

Heres his comparative list:

Italian elements English elements

Pulcinella (sp Pulcina) Punch, much transformed

Teresina Pretty Polly
The Dog Toby
The dogs owner The dogs owner
The carabiniere The Policeman figure
The Hangman The Hangman
Business with the coffin Business with the coffin
The Devil The Devil
Death, a skeleton Judy
Teresinas boy friend Doctor
Teresinas brother Baby
Monk Blackman
Beggar Clown
Hooligan Crocodile
And so on And so on

I understand what it is that George is attempting to illustrate, but I suggest

the extrapolation goes too far. Not that it matters.

I have gone on record as a supporter of Michael Byroms work. He

argued that Piccini brought with him a series of stock characters, which
he moulded into a play that was eventually immortalised by Cruikshank,
Collier and Prowlett. I think you can see this best in the puppet versions
of the Doctor and Hangman, both of whom could easily double for
someone else, especially when you consider the hangman, who could
never really be a Pulcinella puppet, his hat being far too inconvenient an
accessory to facilitate a swift hanging routine.
There is a counter argument here concerning the size of Pulcinella
puppet heads but Im ignoring it for convenience. And Im also deliberately
delaying reaching my point!

I have also gone on record about another of Piccinis characters. I offered

up the suggestion that the person thus characterised was probably
a Jew. Not that I have a problem with that, far from it. And intent on
collecting and representing Piccinis show, I have recently acquired a
rather splendid version of this character. The puppet has been made, not
as a puppet that Cruikshank subsequently drew, more as a 3D wooden
representation of the illustration. And that, I suspect, is what led me to a
startling conclusion.

Full of my discovery, I drove to a friends house and promptly offered up

the book of the script, and illustrations, along with my latest acquisition
and was about to suggest, with my reasoning, who I thought the character
originally was, when my friends wife said: thats a nice monk youve got
there what are you going to do with it?

Tinker, Tailor,
Soldier, Sailor,
Richman, Poor man,
Blindman, Beggar man,
Thief.
(Trad. English counting rhyme first published 1695)

Ladies and Gentleman I give you neither the Blind man nor the Beggar
man but The Monk.

Post Script
My friend had to pick me up off the floor!
 JUST PUNCH
Sharon Trimby, wife of our Chairman, reflects on how she has been
swept into the world that is Punch & Judy with thoughts that will no
doubt ring bells with other Profs partners!

I shouldnt have been surprised that Gary would fall hook, line and
sinker into Punch & Judy or that this would automatically include me.
It is part of a pattern throughout our marriage; there was the time when
he took over as manager of a local football team (when injury forced
him to stop playing his war wounds are a story for another time!). On
the day of his first match in charge, he arrived home with 2 huge bags of
smelly (white oils and sweat lovely!) grass and mud stained team kit.
As I stared, open mouthed he said Oh didnt I mention it is traditional
for the managers wife to wash the kit? Given that at that time we
hadnt been able to afford a washing machine and I was taking our own
washing to the launderette.... And then he volunteered to take over
as match programme editor for Uxbridge F.C with Gary possessing
typing skills of 2 fingers at 5 words maximum per minute, no prize for
guessing who was then given the honour of typing every programme in
a time long before computers! You get the picture, Im sure, so back to
Punch & Judy...

I was quite happy really when Gary rekindled his childhood interest
in Punch & Judy. Id reached the what do you buy the man who has
everything point when it came to birthdays and Christmas presents
(Gary having enough M&S pants and socks in his wardrobe to fill his
own store).So his collection of puppets gradually grew. Every trip to
London had to include a visit to Pollocks or Davenports Magic shop (or
both) to decide on the next addition to his collection until of course he
got to know Bryan and started to order his puppets direct.

When our friends came for dinner, they quite readily accepted the ever
increasing motley crew of puppets watching them eating their meal
from the corner of our dining room. Well, after all, we were already
crazy, having a circus themed cloakroom surely nothing could be
more unusual than having clowns and other circus characters watching
you sitting on the loo?
Gary had worked in the printing industry all his life and went to work
for an early shift one Monday morning in 2009 to find the factory had
burnt down. On reflection, this seemed rather drastic action in order to
get himself into Punch & Judy, but this was the turning point when it
would be now or never and so Professor Dumpling was let loose on
the general public. Just Punch became a reality supported by Gary
working 3 days a week for a local garden maintenance company to help
pay the bills and with any dreams I had of working less hours or indeed
becoming a kept woman rapidly fading!

My involvement was almost instantaneous as the newly built booth

needed painting, as did the back cloth. Lapsed artistic skills from my A
level days were put to the test and I discovered hidden talents ranging
from marketing to sausage making! Not to mention every spare bit of
space in our house becoming increasing full of booths, boxes and a
growing collection of P&J memorabilia.

Professor Dumpling has now decided to venture into Puppet making

and I drew the line after frequently coming home to find the workbench
erected in the kitchen to pleas of well its raining again and layers of
wood dust over every surface. So our latest project has been to convert
part of the garage into a workshop/studio nearly finished and I cant
wait to get my home back! However, the sting in the tail is guess who has
the job of dressing the puppets? So now we have purchased a sewing
machine and our spare bedroom is being turned into a sewing room.
Trips out now inevitably involve sourcing fabrics and accessories for the
puppet costumes.

Given the lovely summer we have experienced this year, I cannot even
claim to be a fair weather P&J assistant, as the weather has robbed me
of even having that choice...soggy, muddy boots and clothes and hair
like rats tails does nothing for the image! But would I change things? No
not really. Despite having a few wobbles, I have to admit Ive been to
places I would not have been to otherwise and met some lovely people
along the way and it has to be said there is something about old Mr
Punch that puts a smile on your face!
 LES MIS
James Arnott writes...

Alongside my Punch and Puppetry work Ive had a number of jobs in

Musical Theatre, as Production Manager, Company Manager and more
recently Stage Door Keeper at the Gielgud Theatre, where Ive bumped
into quite a few Punch men over the years. The theatre is owned by Sir
Cameron Mackintosh, the producer of hits such as Phantom of the Opera
and Cats.

An old colleague at Cameron Mackintosh Ltd alerted me to an advert for a

Punch Prof for Camerons major new film musical project Les Miserables,
made in conjunction with Working Title (Notting Hill, Love Actually etc) I
joined filming towards the end of three long months for the final sequence,
a frost fair, on the Richard Attenborough Stage at Pinewood Studios. This
is an historic complex, and it was lovely walking down Goldfinger Avenue,
past the 007 Stage, which dwarves all other buildings.

The Punch sequence appears half way though the film (if it doesnt end up
on the cutting room floor) during the songs Castle on a Cloud and Master
of the House. The films lead Hugh Jackman played the everyman ex
convict Jean Val Jean, supported in these scenes by Sacha Baron Cohen,
of Ali G and Borat fame, and Helena Bonham Carter as the Thernardiers.
Being a musical film it was nice to be working alongside old colleagues or
friends such as Robyn North, Gareth Snook and Alison Jiaer, and other
performers Ive long admired such as Kerry Ellis. As filming was coming
to an end there were plenty of theatrical luminaries making cameos, such
as the shows lyricist Alain Boublil, who can be seen watching the puppet
show, who was very interested in Punch and had fond memories of Guignol
shows.

The puppets had been made to resemble Baron Cohen and Bonham
Carter, in replica costumes from the song Beggars at the Feast, as a very
subtle nod to the films theatrical predecessor. The beautiful period booth
had originally been made for John Styles to use on Roman Polanskis
Oliver. Playing the Punch and Judy Mans Wife was PR Guru Cath Taylor,
who had been won this small part at a charity auction. This had led to a
commission from her company Taylor Herring for a new Punch project for
the Summer. But thats another story, for another newsletter...

Les Miserables is on general release from 14th December.

Chris Van der Craats has a splendid new Pitches from the Past project
online which mixes current photos with archive images. Check it out
at www.speckinspace.com/historicpitches/ The brief glimpse below
shows a then and now view in Aberystwyth.

James Arnott writes...

Spotted this cafe at the Pleasance Courtyard while working up at the
Edinburgh Festival. Puppetry of the Paninis anyone?
 AN ACCIDENT WITH A SWAZZLE
Thanks once more to Ray Da Silva for this next item from the archives:
a piece by George Speaight from The Puppet Master of October 1975.

An amusing story is recorded in Emile Campardons great work, Les

Spectacles de la Foire, 1877, and as this has not been noted in any
history of puppets it may be worth repeating here.

Briefly what happened was this. In the year 1765 a French soldier,
named Antoine Courtin, was walking down the boulevard du crime in
Paris, looking at the numerous theatres, shows and other exhibitions
which lined that street. As he passed the puppet theatre of a performer
named Guilliau he was spat upon by one of the puppeteers dressed as a
pierrot, who was trying to attract a crowd from the parade balcony.

The soldier had words with the puppeteer, the puppeteer descended
from the balcony to have words with the soldier, blows were exchanged,
and three further members of the puppet company, urged on by Guilliau
and his wife, who had been laughing at the soldiers plight, now set upon
him and beat him severely till he was rescued by a sergeant of the guard
who took the puppeteer, Guilliau, into custody.

In his defense before the magistrate, the eighteen-year-old Pierre-

Francois Guilliau, son of the proprietor of the theatre, explained that he
was talking, as usual, with his Polichinelle with the aid of a swazzle (une
pivette) when he half swallowed it. In the process of trying to retrieve the
instrument he coughed up some phlegm which fell upon the soldiers
head. Guilliau said that he then descended in order to offer his apologies
to the soldier, who, however, met him with a blow.

The magistrate, unfortunately, does not seem to have entirely accepted

the puppeteers explanation and sent him to prison.

GEORGE SPEAIGHT
 TOBYS TAIL PIECE
Toby doesnt mind his two legged helpers making
a dogs breakfast of things from time to time. It
shows they are only human. So hes very pleased
to have had the contribution below on this topic
from Glanville Magor - a retired veteran Punch
and Judy man of the cloth whose letter is printed
earlier in this issue - and to whom Toby sends tail
wagging greetings in return.

The tailpiece on the last Swazzle wagged merrily and set an idea
working in my mind. Within the Fellowship would it be feasible to admit
that not every show goes exactly as planned and that sometimes the
face inside the fit-up is redder than that of Punch outside? How about
a RED FACED PROF. CORNER? I offer the following two absolutely
true stories, without wanting to be anonymous
.
Enthusiastic crowd at small town fete with excellent responses from
those watching! Almost hysterical cries to persuade Punch to hang the
hangman and loud cheers for killing the Devil. Joey comes up to say
Goodbyeand asks the crowd to shout for Punch. Up comes Punch,
legs swing up for him to sit down and he makes a deep bowAND
HIS HEAD FALLS OFF ONTO THE GROUND leaving my bare finger
wagging stupidly at the crowd.

Crowded school hall for Christmas Party. First show was Pied Piper
and after change of fascia and scenery I open Punch. Joey gets the
children to scream for Punch and, inside the fit-up, without even looking,
I stretch out my right hand to slip it into Punch AND HE ISNT THERE. I
had forgotten to pack him. Profuse apologies and quick change of story
to the antics of a Naughty Clown, working in as many of Punchs tricks
as I could. Unsatisfied Head and reduced fee!!

(The footnote to the second story is that one of the Staff present was
associated with a small puppet museum in the town and could have
gone to fetch a substitute figure if only I had noticed it earlier.)