PUNCH AND JUDY.
[Illustration: MR. PUNCH.
FROM THE ORIGINAL BY
GEORGE CRUIKSHANK.]
THE TRAGICAL ACTS,
OR COMICAL TRAGEDIES
OF
PUNCH AND JUDY,
WITH TWENTY-THREE ILLUSTRATIONS,
FROM ORIGINALS BY
GEORGE CRUIKSHANK.
AND OTHER PLATES,
ACCOMPANIED BY THE DIALOGUE OF THE PUPPET-SHOW, AN ACCOUNT OF ITS
ORIGIN, AND OF PUPPET-PLAYS IN ITALY, ENGLAND AND AMERICA,
WITH INSTRUCTIONS CONCERNING THE CHOICE, SELECTION
AND ACTING OF THE PUPPETS.
BY PROF. W.J. JUDD.
[Illustration]
NEW YORK:
HAPPY HOURS COMPANY, PUBLISHERS,
NO. 5 BEEKMAN STREET.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1879, by
HAPPY HOURS COMPANY,
in the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington, D. C.
LIST OF ENGRAVINGS FROM ORIGINALS
BY
GEORGE CRUIKSHANK.
PAGE.
Portrait of Mr. Punch _Frontispiece._
Behind the Scenes 10
Punch and his Dog Toby 26
Punch with his Horse Hector 27
Judy Beats Punch 32
The Doctor Physics Mr. Punch 34
Scaramouch and his Fiddle 49
Punch and his Pretty Polly 50
Punch and his Music 52
Punch teaches Jack Ketch how to hang a man 57
Punch fights Old Nick 60
Punch Victorious 61
OTHER ILLUSTRATIONS NOT BY MR. GEORGE CRUIKSHANK.
PAGE.
The Performance of the Tragedy _Title._
The new Water Scene, and the Sinking Ship 17
Side view of a large Punch and Judy Theatre 17
The Spirit of Fun gives the Baby back to Judy 29
Mrs. Barrisnobe and the Dutchman 38
The Dutchman and Mary struggle for the bed 47
The Dutchman sees a Ship 63
Trial Scene by the Black Judge 65
The Snake swallows Mr. Punch 69
The Ventriloquial Champions 72
The Royal Marionettes 79
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Introduction, 9
Chapter I.--Origin of Punch in Italy, 11
II.--Origin and Progress of Puppet-Plays in England, 12
III.--Antiquity of Punch in America, 14
IV.--On the Construction of the Theatre and the Acting of the
Puppets--on the Choice and Selection of Performing
Figures--on the Management of the Punch Squeaker, 16
THE TRAGICAL ACTS, OR COMICAL TRAGEDIES OF PUNCH AND JUDY.
Punch and his Dog Toby, 25
Scaramouch with Punch and his Horse, 28
Punch, Judy and the Baby, 29
Punch sees a Ghost, 34
Punch and the Doctor, 34
Punch kills Scaramouch, 36
The Irishman tells Punch a little story, 36
Punch and the Opera Singer, 37
Clown troubles Mr. Punch, 37
The Persecuted Dutchman in Mrs. Barrisnobe's Hotel, 38
Schmidt is waited on by Teddy, Pretty Polly and Mrs. Barrisnobe;
he retires to rest, but is disturbed all through the night by
strange and uninvited visitors--first by Teddy, who gives him a
clubbing, followed by a Clown, Irishman, the Doctor, Adelina,
Captain Blowhard, Police Officer, a Lawyer, a Ghost, Mrs.
Barrisnobe, with a final struggle betwixt Mary and the Dutchman,
who attempts to carry off the bed, 39
Scaramouch and his Fiddle, 49
Punch and his Pretty Polly, 50
Servant orders Punch to Stop his Music, 52
Punch and the Blind Man, 54
Punch and the Constable, 55
Punch hangs the Hangman, 57
Joey and Punch bury Jack Ketch, 59
Punch Alarmed at the Appearance of the Demon, 60
Gradually becoming bolder, he fights His Majesty, 61
Punch Victorious, 61
The Sinking Ship and Storm at Sea, 62
The Black Judge, 65
Punch in his famous 695,000 Box Act, 69
Dialogue for a pair of Ventriloquial Champions, 73
A Young Lady's Conversation, 77
Price List of Punch and Judy Properties, 78
The Royal Marionettes, 79
[Illustration]
INTRODUCTION.
With the assistance of information that we have gained, being a
practical performer of acknowledged ability, we are about to fill up a
_hiatus_ in theatrical history.
It is singular that, to the present day, save by one author of a
valuable work, now out of print, no other attempt has been made
to illustrate the origin, biography and character of a person so
distinguished and notorious as MR. PUNCH. His name and his performances
are familiar to all ranks and ages; yet none have hitherto taken the
trouble, in this country or abroad, to make any inquiries regarding
himself, his family or connections. The "studious Bayle" is recorded to
have repeatedly sallied from his retreat, at the sound of the cracked
trumpet, announcing his arrival in Rotterdam; and we ourselves, who
have often hunted our favorite performer from street to street, saw the
late Mr. Windham, then one of the Secretaries of State, on his way from
Downing Street to the House of Commons, on a night of important debate,
pause like a truant boy until the whole performance was concluded, to
enjoy a hearty laugh at the whimsicalities of "the motley hero." But it
is needless to particularize. Punch has
"made our youth to laugh,
Until they scarcely could look out for tears;"
while the old have stood by, "delighted with delight" of others,
and themselves, too, enjoying the ludicrous representation. Why the
interest has hitherto been limited to the period of representation, and
whether it has not in part arisen from inability to satisfy it, is not
for us to explain. We confine ourselves to an endeavor, in some degree,
to supply the deficiency.
The contrast between the neglect Mr. Punch has experienced, and
the industry employed in collecting particulars relating to other
performers of far less reputation, is remarkable. Nevertheless, it is
undeniable that his fame has spread "without his stirring" over all
the kingdoms of the civilized world. To use the wordy periphrasis of
Dr. Johnson,
"Let observation, with extensive view,
Survey mankind from China to Peru,"
if it can, and it will everywhere behold Punch dispensing "the luxury
of a laugh." It is literally true that some years ago he found his way
to Canton; and that since the South American Revolution he has been
seen even on the western side of the Andes. He is, perhaps, himself
in part to blame for the neglect we have noticed. Several of the
principal supporters of our theatres, in our own day, have given their
memoirs to the world, either by writing them with their own hands, or
by furnishing the materials to others; and the works of this kind by
dead actors, "the forgotten of the stage," consist of many volumes.
Whether it has arisen from an absence of that vanity (may we call it?)
which has at times influenced his histrionic rivals, or from a somewhat
haughty reluctance on his part to gratify public curiosity, we know not.
[Illustration]
CHAPTER I.
ORIGIN OF PUNCH IN ITALY.
Mr. Punch (whose original family name was probably _Pulcinella_) first
came into existence at Acerra, an ancient city at a short distance
from Naples. The date of this event is differently stated by authors
who have incidentally mentioned him, Riccoboni fixing it before the
year 1600, and Gimma and Signorelli after the commencement of the
seventeenth century. The words of Gimma are very precise, and as he
enters into particulars, it seems safe to rely upon his authority for
this important fact.
The performances, in which the actor was left to his own talents and
discretion in furnishing the dialogue, were once extremely popular
throughout Italy; but from the very nature of the representation, it
unluckily happens that not a single specimen has been handed down to
our time.
However, to pursue this topic would lead us away from the object of our
present inquiry. We take it for granted that Silvio Fiorillo invented
Pulcinella, and first introduced him as a variety in the list of
buffoons required to represent the impromptu comedies of Naples: but,
although he may date his separate existence from about the year 1600,
it is a matter of much doubt whether he was not, in fact, only a branch
of a family of far greater antiquity. The discovery, in the year 1727,
of a bronze statue of a mime, called by the Romans _Maccus_, has indeed
led some antiquaries to the conclusion that he was, in fact, Pulcinella
under a different name, but with the same attributes, and among them a
hump-back and a large nose.
The dress, too, corresponds very much with the _motley_ or parti-colored
habit of the clowns of our old dramatic poets. It is true that the
different hues have been arranged with greater regularity, and the
patches are of smaller size. The ordinary habiliments of Punch at the
present day, preserved by ancient usage, with his pointed fool's-cap,
bear a much nearer resemblance; and this is one circumstance that
evidences the strong family likeness between the Vice, Harlequin and
Pulcinella. Riccoboni represents the _ancient_ Harlequin in a dress
composed of patches, as if his ragged clothes had been often mended,
and Goldoni speaks of him as originally a poor, foolish dolt.
According to Quadrio, in his "Storia d'ogni Poesia," the name of
our hero has relation to the length of his nose: he would spell
it Pullicinello from _Pulliceno_, which Mr. D'Israeli translates
"turkey-cock," an allusion to the beak of that bird. Baretti has it
Pulcinella, because that word in Italian means a hen-chicken, whose cry
the voice of Punch is said to resemble. Pollicenello, as it has also
been written, in its etymology from _pollice_, "the thumb," goes upon
the mistaken presumption that his size was always diminutive, like that
of our English worthy, of cow-swallowing memory. The French _Ponche_
has been fancifully derived from no less a personage than Pontius
Pilate of the old Mysteries, whom, in barbarous times, the Christians
wished to abuse and ridicule. If we cannot settle the disputed point,
it is very evident that, in future, ingenuity and learning will be
thrown away in attempting further elucidation.
CHAPTER II.
ORIGIN AND PROGRESS OF PUPPET-PLAYS IN ENGLAND.
Before we proceed farther, it will be necessary to consider, briefly,
the antiquity and nature of puppet-plays in the old country. It is the
more proper to do so, because they form a branch of our drama which
has never been examined by the historians of our stage with as much
interest and industry as the subject deserves. When we mention that no
less a man than Dr. Johnson was of opinion that puppets were so capable
of representing even the plays of Shakspeare, that Macbeth might be
performed by them as well as by living actors, it will be evident
from such a fact only, that the inquiry is far from unimportant. In
connection with this opinion, and confirmatory of it, we may add, that
a person of the name of Henry Rowe, shortly before the year 1797, did
actually, by wooden figures, for a series of years, go through the
action of the whole of that tragedy, while he himself repeated the
dialogue which belongs to each of the characters.
Puppet-plays are of very ancient date in England; and, if they were not
contemporary with our Mysteries, they probably immediately succeeded
them.
The formidable rivalship of puppet-plays to the regular drama is
established by the fact that the proprietors of the theatres in Drury
Lane, and near Lincoln's Inn Fields, formerly petitioned Charles II.
that a puppet-show stationed on the present site of Cecil Street in
the Strand, might not be allowed to exhibit, or might be removed to a
greater distance, as its attractiveness materially interfered with the
prosperity of their concerns. It is not unlikely that burlesque and
ridicule were sometimes aimed at the productions of the regular stage
by the exhibitors of "motions."
Powell's show was set up in Covent Garden, opposite to St. Paul's
Church; and the "Spectator" (No. 14) contains the letter of the
sexton, who complained that the performances of Punch thinned the
congregation in the church, and that, as Powell exhibited during the
time of prayers, the tolling of the bell was taken, by all who heard
it, for notice of the intended commencement of the exhibition. The
writer of the paper then proceeds, in another epistle, to establish
that the puppet-show was much superior to the opera of "Rinaldo and
Armida," represented at the Haymarket, and to observe that "too much
encouragement could not be given to Mr. Powell's skill in _motions_." A
regular parallel is drawn between the two, which ends most decidedly in
favor of Powell in every respect but the inferior point of the moral.
From these sources we collect, most distinctly, that the popularity of
Punch was completely established, and that he triumphed over all his
rivals, materially lessening the receipts at least at the Opera, if not
at the regular national theatres, and accomplishing at that period,
by his greater attractiveness, what Dennis, by his "Essay on Operas
after the Italian manner," and other _critiques de profession_, had
been unable to effect. He could hardly have taken such firm possession
of the public mind if he had only recently emigrated from his native
country.
The late Mr. Joseph Strutt, in his "Sports and Pastimes of the People
of England," thus speaks of the puppet-shows in his time: "In my
memory these shows consisted of a wretched display of wooden figures,
barbarously formed and decorated, without the least degree of taste or
propriety: the wires that communicated the motion to them appeared at
the top of their heads, and the manner in which they were made to move
evinced the ignorance and inattention of the managers. The dialogues
were mere jumbles of absurdities and nonsense, intermixed with low,
immoral discourses, passing between Punch and the fiddler, for the
orchestra rarely admitted of more than one minstrel; and these flashes
of merriment were made offensive to decency by the actions of the
puppet."
From whatever cause the change may have arisen, certain it is that at
present, in the ordinary exhibitions of "Punch and Judy," the breaches
of decorum complained of by Mr. Strutt are rare and slight.
We have never seen less than two men concerned in these ambulatory
exhibitions: one to carry the theatre and use Punch's tin whistle, and
the other to bear the box of puppets and blow the trumpet. During the
performance the money is collected from the bystanders, and far from
agreeing with Mr. Strutt that the contributions are "very trifling,"
we have seen, for we have taken the pains to ascertain it, three, four
and five shillings obtained at each repetition; so that, supposing only
ten performances take place in a summer's day, the reward to the two
men, on an average, might be about a sovereign each. On one occasion
we remember to have seen three different spectators give sixpence,
besides the pennies elsewhere contributed, on which the collector went
back to the theatre and whispered the exhibitor, who immediately made
Punch thus address the crowd: "Ladies and gentlemen, I never yet played
for sevenpence halfpenny, and I never will; so good-morning." He then
"struck his tent" and departed, pocketing nearly two shillings, and
excusing himself from going through the performance, under pretence
that all the contributions he had received only amounted to sevenpence
halfpenny.
CHAPTER III.
ANTIQUITY OF PUNCH IN AMERICA.
In the preceding chapters we have spoken of the origin, progress and
high esteem held for Punch and puppet-plays throughout the countries
of Italy and England; and judging from our own personal experience and
actual knowledge, in still greater favor may Punch be said to hold for
himself amongst the fun-loving Americans. What children's party is
brought to a perfect state of merriment unless with the greetings and
comicalities of Mr. Punch?
Though for a while the tracing of the adventures and travels of Mr.
Punch throughout this land is lost, yet we have before us sufficient to
show that his family are of good antiquity, the _New York Gazette_ of
Feb. 20th, 1739, having the following announcement:
"To-morrow will be performed, in Mr. Holt's long room, the new
pantomime entertainment, in grotesque characters, called 'The
Adventures of Harlequin and Scaramouch; or, The Spaniard Trick'd,'
to which will be added an Optick, wherein will be represented in
perspective several of the most noted cities and remarkable places
in Europe and America, with a new Prologue and Epilogue addressed to
the town. To begin precisely at six o'clock. Tickets to be had at Mr.
Holt's, at five shillings each."
Ireland's history of the New York stage preserves the next earliest
record of mechanical puppets performed in this country. It refers to
the _New York Gazette_ of August, 1747:
"To be seen at the house of Mr. Hamilton Hewetson, at the sign of the
Spread Eagle, near White Hall slip, Punch's opera, 'Bateman; or, The
Unhappy Marriage,' with a fine dialogue between Punch and his wife,
Joan, acted by a set of lively figures."
In August, 1749, the play of "Whittington and his Cat" was announced
to be acted in New York city by Punch's company of comedians, and in
the following year the same company, supposed to be mechanical figures,
were to have performed the "Norfolk Tragedy; or, The Babes in the
Wood," along with "Entertainments of Men and Women."
Passing on to the time within the memory of the present generation, we
find that Mr. Punch came into special favor about the year 1866, as may
be gathered from the reports in the English newspapers of that time,
Manvers and others of England's best Punch and Judy players having left
its shores to try their fortunes in America's more favored channels.
In 1874 the demand for puppets was so great that it became difficult
to meet the wants of the many professors that had decided to become
performers. Notwithstanding the growing number of actors, in the fall
of 1876 not one unemployed Punch and Judy performer could be found in
New York city.
As to the puppet-show of "Punch and Judy," it never is looked at by our
people but as a mere joke; and a most effective part of that joke is
the ultimate triumph of the hero; without it the representation would
be not only "flat and stale," but "unprofitable." We have seen it so,
for we remember a showman on one occasion not merely receiving little
or no money, but getting lamentably pelted with mud, because, from some
scruple or other, he refused to allow the victory over the Devil to
Punch. Besides, it may surely deserve consideration, whether, wicked
as Punch unquestionably is, the Devil is not the worse offender of
the two, and, consequently, the more deserving of punishment. If so,
poetical justice is satisfied.
Recently an American showman has introduced a very famous popular
piece as a closing act to the comical tragedies of Mr. Punch, in which
our hero, after having gained a victory over the demon, is eventually
himself swallowed up by a great snake. (_See the Act for _Punch_ and
his great _$25,000 Box Trick_._)
CHAPTER IV.
ON THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE THEATRE AND THE ACTING OF THE PUPPETS.
Having dwelt at some length on the antiquity and high popularity of
Mr. Punch, we will devote the whole of this chapter in explaining to
the reader how he may successfully arrange and work the figures, with
a description of the frames or Punch and Judy houses in which the
performer operates his troupe of puppets.
Portable frames, complete, ready for use, are advertised by the author
in the last pages of this work; yet the reader, if a genius, may save
half its cost by constructing for himself the little house. Obtain
four pieces of pine, eight feet long, two inches in diameter; let them
be planed on the four sides; divide each piece in the centre, and fix
thereon an hinge, with a bolt on the opposite side; thus the four
eight-feet pillars may be made to fold up to fit into any box or trunk
four feet in length. Next cut six cross-pieces, 31 inches long, for
the sides, two to be used for the centre, and four for the ends; next
get ready five lengths, 36 inches long, to make the cross-pieces for
the back and front of the frame, four to be fitted on the four ends,
the remaining one to form the cross-piece on which you screw a flat
piece of wood, six inches wide, to form the stage, which we advise to
be fixed up about 59 inches from the ground, the whole to be clamped
firmly together with twenty-two ordinary iron bolts and nuts. If each
joint is mortised, the skeleton structure will have a wonderful degree
of strength. To finish, cut a shelf from a ten-inch board, full 36
inches long; mortise two of the corners to fit or catch into the two
front pillars; this you lay on the two centre cross-pieces, which forms
you a snug interior shelf on which you lay all the figures that you
use in the performance. A proscenium, cut out of thick cardboard,
and tastefully decorated or painted, should be hung in front of the
stage. This, with the calico covering that you wrap around the frame,
completes the structure, illustrations of which may be seen on our
title-page and next succeeding engraving.
It is generally known that the writer of this book owns the largest
and most complicated Punch and Judy theatre in the world, with its
six changes of scenery; and, although its plan of construction has
been kept secret, we think that to the readers of this work we ought
to convey some idea of its specialties. We therefore not only give a
description, but have caused our artist to make engravings of two of
its most important parts of construction. The theatre is near ten feet
in height, over six feet frontage, and the same distance in its depth
to back of stage. Below we give a description of the engraving.
[Illustration: J, K is a side view of the little theatre; M forms a
front view of an interior water scene, which is located towards the
back of the stage; the flies, five in number, are painted green, with
splashes of white to represent sea-foam; each fly is attached to two
small green cords through the holes at N, N; there are two cross-pieces
above, that traverse from the stage, front to back; on these are ten
hooks; the green cords are strung on to these hooks; the five flies
are then swung into motion, which, to the audience, represents a storm
at sea. The ship sails along once the whole length; but on its second
or third journey it is wrecked; the sails ruffle up, and it gradually
sinks beneath the waves. When there are two performers concealed in
this theatre, the ship is made to meet another vessel (_a steamer_);
the two to collide; one is wrecked, the other sails away safely. These
ships are so constructed that they mechanically wreck at the will of
the performer. L, L are two of the pillars of the theatre; K is the
upper cross-beam, with four wooden pegs projecting out; J is a grooved
board about five inches in diameter, with holes bored to correspond
with the pegs to fit secure on the cross-beam K; A, B, C, D and E are
half-circles, cut out to receive rollers containing the drop scenery;
F, F, F, F, F are grooves cut to receive the wings that are placed in
front of the drop scenery; H is the pulley; I shows section of pulley;
G shows pulley and cord fitted on to the roller at A. The five pulleys
should not be more than four inches in diameter. A should be the scene
of a prison, B an hotel scene, C the forest, D the Black Hills, and E
the background. A front drop scene can also be added, which does not
stand located in the engraving. The remaining portion of this theatre
is made and bolted together after the plan advised for the smaller
frame. The theatre once properly built, each timber must be legibly
marked before taken apart, so that the performer may speedily rebuild
the same when wanted.]
Having thus fully explained how to construct a Punch's theatre, we will
now proceed to treat on
THE CHOICE AND SELECTION OF PERFORMING FIGURES,
of which there are two classes--the perfectly made and the imperfect.
The latter, which are chiefly importations from foreign countries,
should be studiously avoided by the performer. They may be distinguished
from the properly made puppets by their cramping the hand, their
shortness of dress bringing into special notice the arms of the
performer as he attempts to manipulate them above the stage. The
desirable genuine-made figures can only be safely secured by ordering
them from a dealer or maker that is himself, also, a Punch and Judy
player. A bona fide performer, of course, knows just how they ought
to be made, and prides himself on their perfectness, improvements and
advantages over those of the toy importers that deal in the productions
of novices, made for them at the cheapest rates; hence the reducing of
those essential parts of the dress that are of special advantage to the
performer. We draw the reader's attention to the address of the dealer
whose card will be found in the last pages of this book, and who will
supply you with correctly made figures, and has every appurtenance and
stage-requisite treated on in this work.
An operator can give a very fair show with an outfit of eight figures,
to which, from time to time, he should add others, until he has a
complete set, which are to be arranged on the inner shelf in his frame
in the following order:
Under his left hand, at the end of shelf, he lays the Snake Demon and
Little Dog; next to them the Sheriff, Doctor, Ghost, Negro, Negress,
Judy; on his right or other end Punch, Scaramouch, Dutchman, Irishman,
and Pretty Polly; over these he rests Dog Toby and Punch's Baby in
readiness for the opening acts. Amongst the figures he should have a
bell, the gallows, and three clubs, as sticks for Mr. Punch. The box
trick, coffin, and other stage properties should lie on the ground near
the performer's feet. Where there is but one player to work the show,
remember to put a stick in the hole of Mr. Punch's head, and in several
of the others. This greatly assists the performer, and enables him to
catch the figures up much quicker, and prevents Mr. Punch from dropping
down his head, as if weary. Whilst one figure is up to view above the
stage, the operator may quickly adjust another figure by holding its
head betwixt his chin and breast, whilst he plants his hand beneath its
dress.
The performer should educate himself to playing the acts both
single-handed, and also with the help of an assistant. Where convenient
for two performers to be inside the frame, the show, of course, can be
gotten up on a much more grand and extensive scale. Punch is always
held in the performer's right hand, and is always to be the hero in
the tragedies, and the most lively of all the puppets, and operated
by the best man of the two performers. The assistant player puts up a
third figure at some window or side corner to poke fun at Mr. Punch,
and also is a useful help by interesting the company at any gap in the
performance caused by the leading performer fixing his puppets ready
for the successive acts. The players must remember to give to each
figure genuine life-like motions, convey the impressive idea by shaking
the head or arms of each figure in turn, as they converse one with the
other. This advice is of special importance, and should be observed
by the players. On no account should Mr. Punch be allowed to remain
motionless, dull or stupid, with nothing to say or do. He is ever to
be the gayest of the gay, king and conqueror of all before him. Once
in view above the stage before the company, whilst waiting for an act
to commence or for a figure to come up, he thumps his club down on the
stage, throws it at the showman outside, dances, or sings a verse of
a song. After a figure has entered and announced to Mr. Punch that he
has a fine horse for Mr. Punch to ride on, Punch shows his pleasure by
running from end to end of the stage, to the company appearing to enjoy
taking note of every effort that is being made to bring the horse in.
Hector enters; the comical results relating thereto are illustrated and
described in the dialogue for Act I.
ON THE MANAGEMENT OF THE SQUEAKER.
Some writers have raised objections to the use of the instrument called
the Punch and Judy Squeaker, on account of the greater difficulty in
articulating the words used by Mr. Punch. From the earliest times
within the reach of our memory the familiar squeak of Mr. Punch has
always greeted our ear. We therefore say by all means let it so
continue. A little practice will soon enable you to articulate the
sound of words intelligibly, and until you are proficient in its use,
the answer of the other figure will convey the meaning. Thus, Punch,
in his squeaking voice, asks for the baby. Judy answers, "Oh, Mr.
Punch, you want the baby, do you? Well, I'm afraid it's asleep, but
I'll go and see." Let the squeaker be (_a good one_) placed on the
centre of the tongue, held close to the roof of the mouth and the words
spoken through it. It will readily rest itself on the tongue when the
answering voice is made. The best squeakers are made of silver; they
are fully four times thicker in substance than those that are made
of tin or zinc, hence they cannot so easily be crushed up, and only
require rebinding with tape about once every year. A second squeaker
should also be in the performer's vest pocket for instant readiness in
case squeaker No. 1 should be dropped out of the performer's mouth.
Having instructed the reader how to build a theatre, and traced the
history, with the character and deportment, of Mr. Punch, we shall now
proceed to place his performances upon record. It is time to do so for
the benefit of posterity; lest, as society gradually acquires a more
superfine polish than it even now possesses, it should be impossible,
hereafter, to print what is fortunately yet considered innocent and
harmless. Addison tells us that "the merry people of the world are the
amiable," and in the language of "a man forbid," we address ourselves
to those,
"Chi amano, senza smorfia e ipocrisia
Gl'innocenti piaceri e l'allegria."
[Illustration]
THE
TRAGICAL ACTS, OR COMICAL TRAGEDIES
OF
PUNCH AND JUDY.
PREFACE.
Portions of the following drama are founded upon the performances
of an old Italian Punch and Judy performer of the name of Piccini,
who has perambulated the towns and country hamlets of England for
the last forty or fifty years. Like the representations of our early
stage, it was not by him distinguished into acts and scenes, but the
divisions were easily made. The writer is a professional player of
Punch and Judy, and now gives the public, in this book, not only the
Italian Piccini's earlier introduction, but the records of his own
experience, with gleanings from that of other first-class players. The
whole now assumes a shape in which it may rival most of the theatrical
productions of the present era, whether by Poole, popular for his "Paul
Pry," Peake for his puns, Planche for his poetry, Peacock for his
parodies or Payne for his plagiarisms.
Piccini lived in the classical vicinity of the West End of London,
and up to the time that ourselves left England (in 1869) was still
travelling, considering it "no sin to labor in his vocation." He is
thus described by a writer in a discontinued periodical called the
_Literary Speculum_, which we quote because it is the only printed
notice we have seen of an individual so generally known. It is to be
observed that the article to which we are indebted was published many
years ago, and the author of it speaks of his own youth, when Piccini's
age was "as a lusty winter, frosty but kindly," and before "time, the
old clock-setter," had nearly let him run the whole length of his
chain without winding him up again. "He (Piccini) was an Italian;
a little thick-set man, with a red, humorous-looking countenance.
He had lost one eye, but the other made up for the absence of its
fellow by a shrewdness of expression sufficient for both. He always
wore an oil-skin hat and a rough great-coat. At his back he carried
a deal box, containing the _dramatis personæ_ of his little theatre,
and in his hand the trumpet at whose glad summons hundreds of merry,
laughter-loving faces flocked round him, with gaping mouths and anxious
looks, all eager to renew their acquaintance with their old friend
and favorite, Punch. The theatre itself was carried by a tall man, who
seemed a sort of sleeping partner in the concern, or mere _dumb waiter_
on the other's operations." The woodcut on our title-page precisely
corresponds with this lively description, making some allowance for the
difference of age in the master of the puppet-show; still, however, not
too old to carry his deal box and to blow an "inspiring air."
There is one peculiarity about Piccini's puppets which deserves notice:
they were much better carved, the features having a more marked and
comic expression than those of his rivals. He brought most of them over
with him from Italy, and he complained that in England he had not been
able to find any workman capable of adequately supplying the loss if
by chance one of his figures had been broken or stolen. Why his Punch
was made to squint, or, at least, to have what is known by the epithet
of a swivel-eye, unless for the sake of humor or distinction, does not
appear.
Besides Piccini's representation, we have compared the following
pages with, and corrected them and made additions according to, the
text of our professional performances and the exhibitions of other
perambulatory _artistes_ (as our neighbors term them) now flourishing.
The reader's attention should be specially directed to the acting drama
of the Persecuted Dutchman, in Mrs. Barrisnobes Hotel, and to Punch's
famous $25,000 Box Trick.
[Illustration]
THE
TRAGICAL ACTS, OR COMICAL TRAGEDIES
OF
PUNCH AND JUDY.
ACT I.
SCENE.--_The Forest._
SHOWMAN (_outside, calling out_). Now, Mr. Punch, I want you to show
yourself.
PUNCH (_within_). All right; let me put my boot on.
SHOWMAN. Your boot on--hurry up.
_Enter PUNCH. After a few preliminary squeaks, he bows three times
to the spectators--once in the centre and once at each side of the
stage, and then vigorously beats the stage with his club._
_Enter SCARAMOUCH._
SCARA. Hollo, Mr. Punch, what is all this noise about?
PUNCH. Who are you?
SCARA. I want to know what you've done with my dog Toby.
PUNCH. Your dog?
SCARA. Yes.
PUNCH. I know nothing about him.
SCARA. That won't do, Mr. Punch. You were seen going round Gretna
Square with him last night, and I want that dog.
PUNCH. You are a cure. (_beats his stick on the stage._)
SCARA. You call me a cure; that won't do, Mr. Punch.
PUNCH (_dancing around_). Yes, you are, you are.
SCARA. Now, Mr. Punch, that is too bad for you to call me a cure, when
here I am thought handsome, and am engaged to be married to Miss Jennie
L---- early next week.
PUNCH. I don't believe it.
SCARA. Yes, yes, it is true, and Bella's to be at the wedding, too; but
what, Mr. Punch, have you done with my dog?
PUNCH. I told you that I knew nothing about him. (_he knocks SCARAMOUCH
down-stairs with a blow of his club._)
[Illustration]
_Enter DOG TOBY._
TOBY. Bow, wow, wow!
PUNCH. How do, my good friend, your master, Mr. Toby? How do, Mr.
Scaramouch?
TOBY. Bow, wow, wow!
PUNCH. I'm glad to hear it. Poor Toby! What a nice, good-tempered dog
it is! No wonder his master is so fond of him.
TOBY (_snarls_). Arr! Arr!
PUNCH. What! Toby! you cross this morning? You got out of bed the wrong
way upwards?
TOBY (_snarls again_). Arr! Arr!
PUNCH. Poor Toby! (_putting his hand out cautiously, and trying to coax
the dog, who snaps at it_) Toby, you're one nasty, cross dog; get away
with you! (_strikes at him._)
TOBY. Bow, wow, wow! (_seizing PUNCH by the nose._)
PUNCH. Oh, dear! oh, dear! My nose! my poor nose, my beautiful nose!
Get away! get away, you nasty dog--I tell your master. Oh, dear, dear!
Judy! Judy!
[Illustration]
(_PUNCH shakes his nose, but cannot shake off the DOG, who follows
him as he retreats around the stage. He continues to call, "_Judy!
Judy, my dear!_" until the DOG quits his hold, and exit._)
PUNCH (_solus, and rubbing his nose with both hands_). Oh, my nose! my
pretty little nose! You nasty, nasty brute, I will tell your master of
you.
_Re-enter SCARAMOUCH._
SCARA. Ah, ah! Mr. Punch, you got the worst of it. My dog got hold
of your nose. Ah, ah! (_PUNCH, mad at being made fun of, aims a blow
at SCARAMOUCH, but misses; he, quickly disappearing, pops up again,
saying: "_Never mind, Mr. Punch, I'll fetch up a fine horse for you._"
PUNCH commences to dance about in high glee. SCARAMOUCH below stamps
his feet, calling out: "_Wo, ho, my Hector! this way, my Hector._"
PUNCH continues his dance, then attempts to mount his HECTOR by the
tail. Horse gallops away, PUNCH in pursuit._)
_Re-enter PUNCH, leading his horse by the bridle over his arm. It
prances about, and seems very unruly._
PUNCH. Wo, ho, my fine fellow! Wo, ho, Hector! Stand still, can't you,
and let me get my foot up to the stirrup.
(_While PUNCH is trying to mount, the horse runs away round the
stage, and PUNCH sets off after him, catches him by the tail, and
so stops him. PUNCH then mounts by sitting on the front of the
stage, and, with both his hands, lifting one of his legs over the
animal's back. At first it goes pretty steadily, but soon quickens
its pace, while PUNCH, who does not keep his seat very well, cries:
"_Wo, ho, Hector! Wo, ho!_" but to no purpose, for the horse sets
off at full gallop, jerking PUNCH at every stride with great
violence. PUNCH lays hold around the neck, but is ultimately thrown
upon the platform._)
[Illustration]
[Illustration]