Punch'n'Judy
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For those of you in and around London, this coming Sunday (Sunday 14th May) sees the 31st Annual Covent Garden May Fayre, Punch and Puppet Festival, which takes place in the garden of St Paul's Church, Bedford Street, Covent Garden.
It is a celebration of puppetry, with a parade, church service and usually over 20 different shows. The majority of the shows are Punch and Judy shows - after all the event started as a way of celebrating the first recorded performance of Punch on May 9th 1662, very near the Church, noted in Samuel Pepys's diary, where a plaque commemorates the event - however there are other marionette and glove puppet shows, puppet workshops, clowns and musicians. There are also stalls from a variety of puppet makers and those selling allied items.
The British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, The College of Punch and Judy Professors, The Puppet Centre Trust, The Union Internationale de la Marionette, and The Punch and Judy Fellowship will all be represented.
There are also many puppeteers in attendance who have worked for Hensons over the years (regulars include Geoff Felix, Ian Thom, Ronnie LeDrew, Simon Buckley, Daryl Worbey etc). This is a very special event...there's nothing quite like it; the garden has a very special atmosphere, especially early on in the day and it is an event that I look forward to greatly each year.
It would be great to see some other MuppetCentral members. You are of course welcome to come along and perform as well on a busking basis, there is no fee to pay but pitches are allocated on a 'first come, first served' basis, so get there early! The organisers will try to pay reasonable travel expenses.
Procession - 10.30am
Church Service - 11.30am
Shows - 12 noon - 5.30pm
All very best,
James (ps - I'll be the one with the booth that has a large union jack on the proscenium!)
It is a celebration of puppetry, with a parade, church service and usually over 20 different shows. The majority of the shows are Punch and Judy shows - after all the event started as a way of celebrating the first recorded performance of Punch on May 9th 1662, very near the Church, noted in Samuel Pepys's diary, where a plaque commemorates the event - however there are other marionette and glove puppet shows, puppet workshops, clowns and musicians. There are also stalls from a variety of puppet makers and those selling allied items.
The British Puppet and Model Theatre Guild, The College of Punch and Judy Professors, The Puppet Centre Trust, The Union Internationale de la Marionette, and The Punch and Judy Fellowship will all be represented.
There are also many puppeteers in attendance who have worked for Hensons over the years (regulars include Geoff Felix, Ian Thom, Ronnie LeDrew, Simon Buckley, Daryl Worbey etc). This is a very special event...there's nothing quite like it; the garden has a very special atmosphere, especially early on in the day and it is an event that I look forward to greatly each year.
It would be great to see some other MuppetCentral members. You are of course welcome to come along and perform as well on a busking basis, there is no fee to pay but pitches are allocated on a 'first come, first served' basis, so get there early! The organisers will try to pay reasonable travel expenses.
Procession - 10.30am
Church Service - 11.30am
Shows - 12 noon - 5.30pm
All very best,
James (ps - I'll be the one with the booth that has a large union jack on the proscenium!)