Mr. Punch is at least 350 years old and derives from the Italian character Punchinello. He has legs so he can interact with the audience and a hunchback believed to bring good luck. While his mischievous character can be traced back to ancient trickster deities, Punch spread across Europe taking on names like Kasperle, Guignol, and Karagoz and bringing slapstick comedy. His rasping voice is traditionally created using a swazzle, a small metal instrument, and puppeteers are called professors.

1. 11 Things about Mr Punch you may not know
1
He has legs
(so he can sit on
the side of the
stage and talk to
the audience)
3
He is at
least 350
years old
(in English)
Mr Punch
derives from
the masked
stocK
chAracter of
punchinello in
ItaLIAN
COMMEDIA
DELL' ARTE
2
and a hunchback
(because the
hump of a
hunchback is
filled with luck)
Samuel Pepys
Diary , May 9th
1662, "an Italian
puppet play that
is within the
rayles there,
which is very
pretty, the best
that ever I
saw..."
5
9
4
6
Punch puppet
characters are called
Kasperle in Germany,
Guignol
in France, Jan
Klaassen in
the
Netherlands,
Karagoz in
turkey and
Karaghiozis in
Greece.
Punch is
operated with the
Right hand and
other puppets in
the show with the
left.
(Because Mr Punch is on stage
most of the time and other
characters come on, get slapsticked
and go)
But his
character
traits go
back to
ancient
Trickster
deities
"Punch
Line" is
a term
that
comes
from Mr
Punch
7
Mr Punch
carries a
"Slapstick"
...a noisy stick he hits
other puppets with.
Punchinello carries one in
Commedia dell arte.
(Thus 'Slapstick 'Comedy...)
11
Traditionally,
Punch's rasping
voice is
created with a
Swazzle.
8
A joke was often called a "bite" or a
"hit", In Italian it is still called a
"battuta" (a "beating")
10
Punch
puppeteers
are called
Professors
(Because fancy
titles impress people
if you want their
money )
Swazzle: small metal instrument with
vibrating reeds kept in the mouth .
Easily swallowed.