From a bag, the Montreur (Puppet Master) takes the puppets of Punch and Tobby the dog to perform his show. Punch and Tobby meet a deceptive fortune-teller who foresees a tragic future for Punch. Punch and Tobby steal her money, run away, and play a nasty trick on Commissaire (superintendent) Gambrinus. The Adjoint (second in charge) goes after them but ends up being beaten up with a huge stick. Punch meets Judith, and the Montreur pairs them as pimp and prostitute: she seduces the clients and he knocks them out. Later on, Judith gives birth to an adult Anatole, and Punch kills the Professeur (professor) Levieux. The Hydre (Hydra) (“a constant pain in the arse”, at the same time solicitor and social worker) wants to withdraw the custody of Anatole from his father, Punch. They argue and behead the child. Punch kills the Hydre and then strangles Judith. The Commissaire and the Adjoint catch Punch. The trial requires a psychiatrist, but Punch hits the Psycha-cho-chiatre (play on the French word for psychiatrist) and runs off again. He sleeps with Commissaire Gabrinus’ wife, but the Commissaire catches them in the act. Punch is sentenced to death, but he manages to have the Bourreau (executioner) beheaded instead. The Diable (Devil) appears as Tobby and fights Punch but Punch kills him, escaping the fortune-teller’s prediction.

Glove-puppet

Adults

France

Paris

Choisy-le-Roi

Printed

Cruelty

Serial murder

Prostitution

Couple

Abortion

Education

Justice

Revenge

Unfaithfulness

Stick

Comical

Satirical

Polemical

Gore

La Ballade de Mister Punch, poster, 1976.

French

Punch

Judy

Puppeteer

Child

Police Superintendant

Policeman

Physician

Guardian

Social worker

Judge

Voice

Hand

Psychiatrist

Lawyer

Executioner

Devil

Mise-en-abyme

Slaps

Address to the public

Dialog between a puppet and its puppeteer

Blow-with-a-stick

Song

Chase

Domestic scene

Allusion to current political events

Childbirth on stage

Murder on stage

Apparition of the puppeteer

Character thrown out of the scene

Hanging scene

Final intervention of the devil

La Ballade de Mister Punch

Mister Punch’s ballad