Podcasts · English Learning for Curious Minds | A More Interesting Way To Learn English

#626 | The Strange Story of Punch and Judy

13 Aug 2026 · 26 min

Episode #626 | The Strange Story of Punch and Judy

0:00 25:31

He wears a red hat, carries a stick, and laughs as he beats almost everyone he meets.

This episode tells the odd, violent story of Punch and Judy, the puppet show that began in Italy and became a British seaside symbol.

It looks at how Mr Punch survived for over 300 years, and why many now question whether he still belongs on the beach.

• The swazzle and Mr Punch's strange squeaky voice • Italian street theatre origins and Pulcinella • Arrival in London in 1662 with Samuel Pepys • From marionettes to glove puppets and slapstick action • The 1828 book and forgery doubts • Judy, the baby, the policeman, the crocodile and the devil • Violent plot and the "That's the way to do it!" catchphrase • Rise at the seaside with Victorian railways • Mr Punch and the humour magazine Punch • Modern decline, criticism, attempts to modernise, and an uncertain future

Full interactive transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/punch-and-judy

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