Are there puppet theatres in Liverpool? How advanced is this art? Which show is the most popular? What is its story? Learn more about it at liverpool-trend.com.
WHO CREATES PUPPET SHOWS IN LIVERPOOL?
Some of the Liverpool theatres create puppet shows from time to time and some of them had to close their doors due to low demand for such performances. There are few specialised theatres in the city, although it may change over time. Here are some of such cultural centres that are working now or have been working at the beginning of the 20th century:
- The Epstein Theatre. This theatre offered a wide range of performances, including puppet shows. It is located on Hanover Street, which is in the city centre. Unfortunately, the theatre was closed on June 30, 2023, after the decision of the City Council to stop its financial support.
- Unity Theatre. It is an innovative theatre that also includes puppet shows in its programme. It is located on Hope Place.
- The Lantern Theatre. This was a small theatre on Blundell Street that occasionally presented puppet shows among other types of arts. It was also closed in 2016, obviously, due to unprofitability.
- Puppetuity. This is a small company that offers puppet shows, workshops on puppet making and puppetry consulting.
- Headstrung. Founded in 2012, this Liverpool-based puppet company specialises in puppet cabaret and interactive street theatre. Its shows are characterised by sharp humorous elements. The audience literally blossoms into belly laughs. The artists tour across the UK, performing at outdoor events, art and puppetry festivals and cabaret nights.
FROM THE HISTORY OF PUPPET SHOWS IN BRITAIN
Nobody knows for sure when puppet shows have begun to be staged in Britain. However, there were reasons to believe that they already existed in the 14th century. Small glove (or hand) puppets were especially popular. They were actively used by travelling minstrels and other mediaeval artists.
The word marionette became common in England in the 14th century. It can be found in Chaucer’s works. The Romance of Alexander, a 14th-century manuscript, was also illustrated with images of hand puppet shows. They took place in booths similar to those currently used for Punch and Judy shows. At that time, puppet shows were based on biblical stories, as well as on Greek and Roman myths.
Puppet shows have been taking place in London since at least around 1600. Bartholomew Fair in Smithfield was one of the venues. The puppeteers toured the whole country to earn a living. It was especially profitable to perform in front of wealthy families.
Shakespeare wrote about marionettes, while the Duchess of Suffolk mentioned that she paid money to two puppeteers. In the 17th century, groups of Italian puppet performers toured Britain. They performed at fairs and markets using puppets controlled by strings or cords.
In the same period, there were also biblical-themed shows, such as Jonah and The Whale. One of them featured the Devil. The clergy then used animators to preach. The Devil’s puppet could be the leading character, teaching lessons. Sometimes fireworks were used to demonstrate the danger of hellfire. Apparently, they were only frightening but not dangerous for the audience.
Puppeteers also performed versions of popular plays created at the time and could act out historical or contemporary events involving famous figures, such as Guy Fawkes. Theatres were closed at a time of religious and political upheaval in Liverpool, as in the rest of England, but puppet shows were allowed. That was the period of prosperity of this type of art! They mostly used glove puppets, although there were also shadow ones.
PUNCH AND JUDY
The most famous puppet show in Liverpool is Punch and Judy. What is known about it?
17-19 CENTURIES
When Charles II returned to England after the end of the Second English Civil War, European performers, including puppeteers, started to come to the country as well. They brought a new character from an Italian comedy. His name was Pulcinella in Italian and Punchinello in English, but that name was later shortened to just Punch.
In England, Punch and Jude was staged for the first time in 1662. At first, the performance was made in a tent (not in a booth, as it is now). The same year, the play was performed for the King at Whitehall. Puppet theatre has become popular entertainment not only for children but also for adults. Sometimes puppet theatre was used to satirise famous people.
A new wave of European puppet theatre took place in the 1770s. Italian troupes presented comic operas and plays in the dell’arte style featuring Harlequin and Colombina. They also introduced fast scenery transformations. The shadow theatre appeared in the same period. The puppet version of Punch was constantly updated. Gloves have become common for mobile booths.
The Punch and Judy show fell out of favour in the 1850s. However, at the end of the century, their popularity rose again because people got more free time. The performance was staged at parties and social events, in the streets and on the sea coast as well as on beaches and seaside piers.
Signor Brigaldi’s Italian Marionettes were also very successful at that time and were presented in Manchester and Liverpool. However, the days of permanent marionette shows passed in the 1860s. Instead, travelling ones, which were performed by family troupes, gained popularity.
MORE MODERN HISTORY
Until the 1970s, the Punch and Judy show was regularly staged at the junction of St John’s Lane and Lime Street in Liverpool. At some point, it moved to Williamson Square and then to Albert Dock.
A major contribution to the Liverpool version of the play was made by Richard Codman and his father John. It was a family of Roma origin that loved puppetry. At a young age, Richard wanted to explore the country, so he went on a road trip, performing in various places with dogs and puppets.
Enthusiast Richard collected driftwood to carve traditional Punch and Judy characters out of them. A large number of those dolls were inherited by his descendants. Then Codman began to give puppet shows on the beach. He also used glove puppets. He ended up in Liverpool in the 1860s and appealed to the City Council to grant permission for public performances. The authority willingly granted him licence, because such an idea was something new for Liverpool. In addition, the puppet theatre activist was given a permanent place on The Quadrant, located on St George’s Place opposite to the Lime Street station. At the end of the 1960s, the show had to be moved to a new venue due to the busy traffic there. The Playhouse theatre, which was located next door, housed the show.
When Richard died in 1909, the business was continued by his son, Richard Codman II. By the 1920s, the play had become very popular and a kind of hallmark of Liverpool life. Local sculptor Tyson even carved a new booth for it. The new miniature theatre was officially presented to Richard in 1922.
The script for the plays remained traditional, but some characters and themes were changed according to the period. One such character was a puppet version of Ken Dodd. In addition, the plot was quite brutal until the 1970s. There were the beating of wives and children, a brutal policeman, hanging, persecution, a meeting with the Devil, a scene with a ghost, etc. And all of that was just family entertainment! However, eyewitnesses noted that it was lively, funny and exciting.
