Mr Punch is at once timeless and flexible. But performers have always brought their own stories to it, renewing what Hoban calls the “rampant idea” of this Lord of Misrule for each generation. The basics of Punch and Judy have remained fairly static since Samuel Pepys first saw a show in Covent Garden in 1662. He and other performers can therefore tailor their stories to the “particular audience”. I spoke to Glyn Edwards, a member of the Punch and Judy College of Professors, who explained that the shows may not be as visible as they were in their Victorian heyday, but demand is high at festivals, parties, schools and private functions. The stick flies from character to character, always making a racket, while Punch’s high-pitched chuckling adds an even more manic edge. The YouTube film is a blaze of noise and confusion. If the show available on Youtube is anything to go by, it’s easy to see why Hoban felt that after seeing Percy Press it became “inevitable that Mr Punch would find his way into Riddley Walker sooner or later”. When he came to England he sought out performances by the renowned “Professor” Percy Press. He first read about the puppeteers in the New Yorker. Russell Hoban was an American, so wasn’t exposed to Mr Punch as a child. Riddley Walker gave me the gift of seeing something familiar through different eyes. I can’t remember a time I haven’t known about Mr Punch. Afterwards, all he wants to do is work over the troubling feeling that even though he has never heard of anyone in the show, he has seen it all before: “Seamt like I knowit more about them nor I knowit I knowit.”Īs a reader, I had a similar feeling. The sole spectator, Riddley Walker, watches in mute shock.

The show ends when a ghost comes and wraps its arms around Punch’s neck and the two puppets go offstage singing a song. He then kills another character called Mr Clevver with an exploding “swossage”.

Attracted by the sound of wife and babby frying, Jack Ketch the hangman comes along to demand a share. After more lewd talk about “swossages”, Punch beats the woman and their “babby” to death. The “great big thing”, of course, is Mr Punch’s whacking stick – and what he’s going to do with it is cause trouble.

Hoban riddley walker