Punch and Judy

Punch and Judy is the traditional British puppet show. Two main characters in the show are Mr. Punch and his wife Judy. It is believed that they are derived from the 16th century Italian Commedia dell'Arte. Mr. Punch's wife was originally called Joan. Today the show also includes several other characters – The Baby, The Constable, Joey the Clown, The Crocodile, The Ghost and The Doctor.

Punch and Judy

The show is performed by a single person inside the special booth. The person is known as the Professor. Sometimes there is also a Bottler. This person makes the introduction, communicates with both the audience and puppets. He or she collects the money called the bottle. The Bottler sometimes plays a drum or guitar. The audience also participates in the show by, for example, calling the puppets on the stage.