Punch and Judy, with Instructions How to Manage the Little Actors Part 1

Punch and Judy, with Instructions How to Manage the Little Actors.

by Thomas A. M. Ward.

PREFACE.

The Invention of Puppet Shows, Tumbling and other public amus.e.m.e.nts, carries us back to a period in history long anterior to the birth of MOSES.

In fact, Games of Chance, as well as the sports and pastimes usually enjoyed in their Plays, by the early people of Egypt, were in their zenith in the reign of the RAMESES.

RAMESES the II. was a magnificent patron of letters as well as art.

The "Sacred Library," which Diodorus mentions, has been discovered in his Palace, the Rameseum at Karnak.

Nine men of learning were attached to the person of this King, and at their head was a certain KAGABU, as "Master of the Rolls," (Books) a man "unrivaled in elegance of style and diction."

From the pen of this master, who may have helped to train the mind of MOSES, the King's adopted grandson, in "all the learning of the Egyptians," we still possess the oldest Fairy Tale in the world, a moral story, resembling that of Joseph and his Brethren, composed for the King's son Meneptha, who afterwards became the opponent of Moses, at the time of the exodus of the Jews from Egypt.

Our object is not so much with the antiquity of shows, as it is directly with the introduction of "PUNCH AND JUDY" into polite society; in proper character, free from superfluous verbiage, and dressing the play in phraseology commensurate with the progress of the age--good taste and refinement.

The performance of PUNCH in the streets of European cities, unpurified of the vulgar colloquies put into his mouth, by the man who works the Puppets, would not for an instant be tolerated by the people of this country.

"The Play of PUNCH AND JUDY," observes a writer in _Harper's Monthly_, "was exhibited for a short time at a popular place of amus.e.m.e.nt in New York City, in 1870, but did not take sufficiently with the audience to induce the managers to go on with it."

The true cause of its failure, at the time, doubtless arose from the vulgar and impure language, used by the fellow that worked the Figures.

Where the little Puppets have been properly conducted, the popularity of the show has been unbounded.

With the a.s.sistance of Mr. Cruikshank's admirable ill.u.s.trations, it may be made the medium of the most amusing whimsicalities. We are told that so grave and dignified a personage as an English Secretary of State is certain to be, once paused on his way from Downing street to the HOUSE OF COMMONS on a night of important debate to witness the whole performance.

INSTRUCTIONS.

How to Perform the Puppets.

The Frame should be three feet long and two feet wide: there should be a s.p.a.ce of 16 inches high, between the stage, on which the Puppets perform, and the top of the Frame, corresponding to the ceiling of a room, from which a little curtain hangs and in all particulars resembling a miniature theatre, with small wings on the sides, like the scenes in a large theatre, and a curtain in front to drop, or slide across the stage, at the end of each act, is necessary. Immediately above the stage is a small stick running across the top, from which a small fringe hangs, in the style of a curtain, between this fringe and the top of the stage, is a s.p.a.ce of 16 inches, for the Puppets to perform.

The hight of the stage, or floor on which the Puppets move, from the ground upward, must be regulated by the hight of the person performing the Figures: the stage, therefore, should never exceed two inches higher than the head of the person who stands behind it, inside of the Frame.

This will enable the performer to rest his hands on the back part of the stage without being seen by the audience. Without this relief for the hands to rest on, he could not be able to continue the movement of the Figures to any length of time.

On one end of the Frame (the stage part) is a small socket, in which the end of a movable gallows is fixed.

The whole of the Frame is covered outside with thick cloth, to conceal all that may be done on the inside.

Three bags hang in front of the performer--extending across the Frame; and on the right and left hand sides, are four more pockets--two on each side--making seven altogether; about six or eight inches deep.

In these pockets are placed the little Wooden Actors. PUNCH and the DOCTOR, occupy the same bunk. JUDY, with her child, and the dog TOBY have a bunk to themselves. The CONSTABLE and JACK KETCH, room together.

The NEGRO and the DEVIL have separate berths.

The way to hold the Puppets in order to exhibit them to the public:

PUNCH is always held by the showman's right hand, his head is wood of course, and should be five inches, allowing two inches for the length of neck would make it seven inches long, five inches from the neck to the top of the head, with a hole, for the finger to rest in, three inches deep. Into this little hole in the head fits the showman's fore finger while his second finger fits into PUNCH'S right hand, and the exhibitor's thumb sets in PUNCH'S left hand. Thus, by the aid of the exhibitor's fore finger and thumb, PUNCH is enabled to wield the club he carries with such consummate dexterity.

JUDY is held by the left hand and managed in the same way: thus, when the exhibitor has PUNCH and JUDY ready to commence the show they are said to be well mounted.

How to make the dresses and to dress the Figures.--The dress of each Puppet is a gown fastened around its neck about thirteen inches long, on to this is sewed the coat, shirt, vest and pantaloons. Inside of the gown the showman thrusts his hand for the working of the little Actor--described above. The PUNCH Puppet, has a big belly and a haunch on his back between his shoulders, which gives him the appearance of the Lord Mayor of London.

The Play opens by the appearance of Mr. PUNCH who calls JUDY to his aid.

Here commences the dance by PUNCH and JUDY, who bow to the audience, then to each other and at the sound of music move off in the dance.

It is not necessary that the feet of the Puppets should be seen, consequently they are seldom brought into view.

The person inside the Frame when dancing the Puppets, must go through all the capers he wishes the Figures to perform; and as he is entirely concealed from view, he can be just as funny as he pleases; and in proportion to his comic actions will the little Actors appear to the audience.

And strange as it may seem should the exhibitor fail to carry out these instructions, namely: of moving his body, so as to correspond with the motions he wishes to give the Figures, the dance of PUNCH and his wife would be flat--without fun or any interest whatever. Therefore, remember and fail not to put in all the comic points, (motions) for in this lies the secret of giving life and merriment to the PUNCH and JUDY Show.

Act 1. Scene 1st.

(PUNCH--_is heard below with a loud squeak: he makes his appearance from the wing on the right hand side of the stage dancing and singing. Enter_ PUNCH.)

PUNCH.--Good day little people--how do you do? The funniest man I ever saw was old JOE MILLER. But the smartest chap among them all was JACK the GIANT KILLER.

The biggest thing on the ice is an Elephant--he is not a pretty bird--and never travels without a trunk. The Pig is a smaller bird--somebody shot his feathers all off.

JUDY, my dear, come up stairs.

(JUDY _answers from below._) I am coming darling. (_Enter_ JUDY.) JUDY.--Mr. PUNCH, did you call me?

PUNCH.--I should think I did--had you been here sooner you would have seen the man that lived in the "House that Jack built."

JUDY.--Did you see him?

PUNCH.--I only saw one side of him--that is why I wanted you here--you could have stood on one side, and I on the other, and then we could have seen the whole of him at one time. _He was orful!_

JUDY.--Mr. PUNCH, you are such a funny man: now let us have a nice little dance.

PUNCH.--With all my heart. (_They join hands--bow to the audience--then to themselves and step off, keeping time with the sound of the music._)

JUDY.--Mr. PUNCH, I am going down stairs to bring up the BABY. (_Exit_ JUDY.)

(PUNCH--_continues to dance--a negro comes up slyly behind him and hits him a heavy blow on the side of his head, and before_ PUNCH _gets a glance at him, darts out of sight._ PUNCH _scratches his head, looks about the stage--seemingly much perplexed--but is soon relieved by the appearance of_ JUDY _with the_ CHILD. _Enter_ JUDY _with the_ BABY.)