On the 23rd February I took part in a Punch and Judy study day. It was organised by the WEA and the idea was that a Punch and Judy 'Professor' lectured on the history of the show during the morning and I performed 'The Professor Vyle Show in the afternoon'. There was also to be a Q and A session with Professor Peaseley and myself after the show. I was so excited about taking part (although a little worried about what a real Punch and Judy Professor might make of my take on things).
The event was great; although the audience numbers were quite low. Twenty five people turned up (the majority of who were over 60 many of them well over; I was quite nervous about facing another type of audience). I thoroughly enjoyed the morning session and learned more about the fascinating history of P and J.
The performance went well and the feedback I got was positive (although there was one lady who didn't look happy; I hope she wasn't offended. I wasn't sure what was going through her head but she looked like she was in a state of shock!). I was particularly pleased when before I performed I over heard one woman say, with a twinkle in her eye, "I do hope Punch is going to be vicious!" So I gave her vicious and played to her as much as I could and she lapped it up. I must say I have never had an audience get so into the booing, cheering and voting as this one did.
I was delighted that during the course of my performance many of the things the Professor had covered during the morning got nods of recognition when I referenced them as part of my show.
One interesting coincidence was that Professor Peasley's mother, Rosa, was the same woman that I saw very early on in my research at a P and J performance at Northicote Farm. She is in her late seventies and one of the very few women Professor's in the country.
Right, now where does that leave the running total in relations to my aim of taking the show to an audience of 2,000? That's 25 off 1,875 which leaves 1,850. Better get a few more gigs sorted then.
