Britain’s longest marriage: Punch and Judy celebrate 350 years together

Garish, politically incorrect but undoubtedly one of the most iconic fixtures of the British seaside, Punch and Judy celebrate 350 years of entertaining children this week.

First recorded in Samuel Pepys’ diary in 1662, the Punch and Judy show continues to delight at fêtes, fairs and festivals throughout the country. Its origins lie in the puppet plays that toured Europe, with Samuel Pepys spotting one in Covent Garden and subsequently recording that he saw “an Italian puppet play that is within the rayles there, which is very pretty, the best that I ever saw”.

The iconic Mr Punch derives from the Italian clown Pulcinella, who featured in the tour, whose name turned into Punchinello and finally became Mr Punch.

Experienced Punch and Judy performer John Styles told Yahoo! News that the show still has a “tremendous hold” on children who are yet to have experienced theatre.

“Once you have an audience in front of you they will react as strongly as they used to more than a hundred years ago,” said Mr Styles, who in 2003 was awarded an MBE in recognition of his work. “We are still out there and we are still very much in demand for fêtes, birthday parties and particularly for the upcoming Diamond Jubilee.

“One scene you don’t see quite as much these days was the part where Mr Punch used to get hanged,” he added. “As we don’t have hanging anymore it is not a scene that people are too familiar with. Punch and Judy has always remained topical, in the 1980s Margaret Thatcher used to appear and now there is a health and safety character who tries to stop the show.”
  
Mr Punch’s 350th birthday will be marked this weekend with a celebration of Punch and Judy in Covent Garden, with performers coming from as far as Japan and Australia.