PUNCH AND JUDY Returns To Rochester Fringe With Free Performances

The Port-A-Globe Puppet Theatre will return to the Rochester Fringe Festival for the third year in a row with its acclaimed production of Punch and Judy, a riotous puppet show Performances will take place at the School of the Arts (45 Prince Street) on September 13, 14, and 20—and thanks to generous donor support, tickets are completely free this year.

This reimagined take on the classic British puppet tradition brings together a Woman, a Man, their Child, and a ravenous Crocodile in a wildly absurd story that blends slapstick humor with sharp wit. “The show is silly enough for adults and smart enough for children,” says Port-A-Globe. “There are jokes only the adults get, jokes only the kids get, and even jokes they both get.”

The Punch and Judy Show has a 350-year history as the most famous puppet play in the Western world. Port-A-Globe offers an authentic experience with a traditional puppet booth and hand-carved wooden puppets from the UK—yet this modern version ditches the Victorian-era violence in favor of outlandish comedy. “We get bigger laughs out of absurd situations. And, in the end, it's Judy—not Mr. Punch—who saves the day,” adds puppeteer Keith Jones.

Audiences can expect Mr. Punch to encounter everything from a ghost to a honey-seeking swarm of bees, a relentless police officer, and a hungry Crocodile who will eat anything in its path. Each show invites audience participation, with kids (and adults) encouraged to shout at the puppets—whether to warn Mr. Punch or help the Crocodile find him.

Jones, a former professor of Ancient Greek and Latin, now performs full-time as a Punch and Judy “professor”—the traditional British term for a puppeteer. “It’s a bit of a career change, admittedly,” he laughs. “But I’ve always been in the amusement business. Even when I taught, my students learned best when I kept them laughing. Now, all I have to do is get the audience laughing—and Punch does the rest.”

About Rochester Fringe Festival

The Rochester Fringe Festival is the largest multidisciplinary performing arts festival in New York State. Since its founding in 2012, the 12-day event has drawn nearly 670,000 attendees to more than 4,500 performances by regional, national, and International Artists. With programming that ranges from theater and dance to comedy, children’s entertainment, music, and magic, the festival champions creative expression, supports emerging and established artists, and stimulates downtown Rochester both culturally and economically.