Puppet duo give annual pier festival some Punch (From Echo)

Puppet duo give annual pier festival some Punch

10:20pm Thursday 5th August 2010 in

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HE is almost 450-years-old and made of wood. While this combination doesn’t sound like a winning formula for entertaining children, the puppet Punch has been doing just that for centuries.

Along with his wife Judy, the pair are the quintessential seaside entertainers. And from 11am today, they’ll continue to squabble on Southend Pier as part of the annual Southend Puppet Festival.

The three-day event, which runs until Sunday, will see youngsters and their parents flock to the seaside landmark to catch the colourful characters in action.

This year’s festival will feature six different puppeteers, who come from as far as Norfolk and Surrey to perform.

But any great Southend event would not be complete without a little home-grown talent in the line-up.

Representing the town is 66-year-old Chris Gasper, a puppeteer who has taken part in every festival since the first one was staged in 1988.

“I was here at the beginning,” the veteran performer says proudly.

“I even remember one year being at the end of the pier in 60mph winds!”

In addition to Punch and Judy, Chris will be bringing along a gang of other characters he uses in his traditional show.

Joey the Clown, the Baby, the Policeman, Jack Ketch, the Crocodile, the Ghost and the Doctor all make an appearance on his mini wooden stage.

“I’ve got ten puppets so I produce a number of voices, which makes it much more interesting,” explains Chris, a member of the Punch and Judy Fellowship, an organisation devoted to keeping the Punch and Judy tradition alive.

“There is real history behind the characters, such as Jack Ketch the hangman, and the stories.

“There is a morale to it too – Punch is naughty and he always gets his comeuppance.”

In all the years Chris has been performing, he believes there is a timeless quality to Punch and Judy, and puppetry in general.

“The popularity goes on,” he says. “I think the magic is in the fact it’s a live show and there is interaction with the audience.

“Britain is supposed to be a land of eccentrics and I think we thrive on being a little different – Punch is definitely different.

“The festival is going to be entertaining, interactive and will give the children an experience they wouldn’t get on TV.”

As well as the classic pairing of Punch and Judy, there will be plenty of other puppets to keep youngsters amused.

Puppets on strings, glove puppets, stilt walkers and other entertainers will be dotted along the length of the pier, ensuring children are as pleased as Punch.

“Punch and Judy are synonymous with the seaside,” says Scott Dolling, Southend Council’s group manager for enterprise and tourism.

“They are part of our culture and a great tradition we can hold up. But there are lots of different interpretations from the world of puppetry too.”

Performances will take place at various locations on the pier. A barrel organ will also play in the information centre from 11am until 5pm.

Shows are free, but pier admission prices apply. Return train tickets are £3.50 for adults and £1.75 for children, while entry without train travel is £3 for adults and remains at £1.75 for children.

For more information call the visitor information centre on 01702 215120.