🎪 Keeping Tradition Alive
Not many people still do this. Punch & Judy is dying - too controversial for some, too old-fashioned for others, too much work for most.
Christian does it because it's part of UK cultural DNA. Because kids still love it when it's done right. Because tradition matters, even when it's chaotic and loud and makes adults uncomfortable.
The modern twist? PLUR energy. Peace, Love, Unity, Respect - the Bristol rave scene ethos applied to 350-year-old slapstick.
It's possible to honor tradition while being kind. Punch can be chaotic without being cruel. Judy can stand up for herself. The crocodile still gets the sausages.
📚 The Tradition
Punch & Judy dates back to 1662. Samuel Pepys documented the first performance. That's 350+ years of tradition.
The Professors: That's what Punch & Judy performers call themselves. Not "puppeteers" - Professors. There's a lineage. You learn from those who came before.
The education: Punch & Judy: A History by George Speaight documents the full tradition. Traditional scripts passed down from the Professors.
But the real skill? Reading the crowd. Knowing when to lean into chaos and when to pull back. When to let Punch win and when to let the kids take control.
🎭 The Performance
It's controlled chaos. Kids shouting, parents laughing, Punch causing mayhem, the crocodile eating everything, the policeman getting whacked.
You're managing 50+ kids in real-time. No script survives contact with that audience. You improvise. You react. You let the kids think they're in charge while you steer the ship.
30 years of performing for kids = knowing exactly how much chaos is too much.
Adults think Punch & Judy is simple. It's not. It's advanced audience management disguised as puppet violence.
🌟 PLUR Energy Meets Tradition
Bristol rave scene (1999-2003): Peace, Love, Unity, Respect. Looking after each other. Making sure everyone's safe. Community first.
That same energy applies to Punch & Judy.
The slapstick stays - kids love seeing rules broken safely. But the meanness goes. Judy stands up for herself. The baby doesn't get thrown away (even though tradition says it does). The crocodile's the real star.
It's possible to honor 350 years of tradition while being kind. That's the Chris P Tee difference.
📸 Gallery (Coming Soon)
Photos of the booth, the puppets, the crowds.
Kids with their mouths open. Punch mid-swing. The crocodile eating the sausages. That moment when everyone's shouting "BEHIND YOU!"
Christian's digging out the archive. This section will show 30 years of keeping British tradition alive.
Why It Matters
Tradition doesn't have to mean stuck.
You can honor what came before while making it kinder.
Kids deserve chaos AND safety.
That's Punch & Judy with PLUR energy.
350 years of tradition.
2026 of kindness.
That's the mission.