Villagers slam decision to axe 'inappropriate' Punch and Judy show

‘It’s political correctness gone absolutely haywire’: Villagers slams parish council’s decision to AXE Punch and Judy show to celebrate the King’s coronation over fears it would be ‘inappropriate’

• Punch and Judy puppet show was set to be held in Saltfleetby, Lincolnshire
• Puppeteer Paul Douglas said he received an ‘out of the blue’ call to cancel show

Villagers have slammed a parish council’s decision to cancel a Punch and Judy show to celebrate the King’s coronation over fears it would be ‘inappropriate’. 

Puppeteer Paul Douglas, who planned to stage the show in Saltfleetby, Lincolnshire, said the decision was ‘political correctness gone absolutely haywire’.

Mr Douglas, who has been performing for 60 years, took the booking for the May 6 village celebration several months ago, and entered it into his diary.

However, he later received an ‘out of the blue’ phone call from the show’s organisers to cancel the show after the parish council deemed it ‘inappropriate’.

Furious locals have since hit out at the ‘absolutely ridiculous’ decision to cancel the traditional puppet show.

Saltfleetby parish council called off Paul Douglas’ show after deeming it ‘inappropriate’

The Punch and Judy show had been scheduled to celebrate King Charles’ coronation

Punch and Judy shows have been performed in the UK for more than 360 years.

READ MORE: That’s not the way to do it! Foul-mouthed parents hurl abuse at nation’s last Punch and Judy performers when they are asked for £2 fee to watch

Characters include Mr Punch, his wife Judy, their baby, a crocodile and a police officer.

The shows have, however, become controversial in recent years due to concerns that the violence meted out by Mr Punch and the other characters is not appropriate for children. 

Mr Douglas, however, says the violence in the show is just a bit of fun. 

‘It’s probably one or two people who actually don’t like it,’ Mr Douglas said.

‘They don’t think that I should be hitting Mr Punch or Mr Punch should be hitting somebody else.

‘It’s probably those same people who go home and watch Coronation Street or Emmerdale and see somebody getting murdered.

‘I think it’s sad really, but it’s their choice.’

Saltfleetby locals hit out at the decision on social media, with one villager, Sam Drewery, posting ‘I thought it was a joke- absolutely ridiculous.’

Charles Wilson, another Saltfleetby local, said ‘Shame on the parish council – no doubt some female woke persons behind it. Carry on Punch!’

Saltfleetby is a village on Lincolnshire’s North Sea coast of about 600 people. 

Critics of Punch and Judy shows say the violence in them is inappropriate for children 

The village of Saltfleetby, Lincolnshire on the North Sea coast has around 600 residents

The first recorded show was in on 9 May 1662, in London’s Covent Garden, when Samuel Pepys wrote in his famous diary that he enjoyed ‘an Italian puppet play’. 

The parish council’s condemnation is not the first time Punch and Judy shows have faced scrutiny, with one Victorian era woman in 1849 writing to a newspaper claiming the shows were not suitable for children, 

However, in response to the woman’s 1849 letter letter author Charles Dickens said ‘I regard it as quite harmless in its influence, and as an outrageous joke which no one in existence would think of regarding as an incentive to any kind of action or as a model for any kind of conduct.’

Performers are known as professors and their association is called the Punch and Judy College of Professors.

Punch’s distinctive voice is made by the use of a reed placed at the back of the puppeteer’s mouth, called a swazzle.

Clive Chandler from the College of Professors said he could not comment on the suitability of Professor Paul’s performance, saying ‘not all shows are the same’,

But he added ‘Not everybody likes everything, however the truly remarkable thing about about the Punch and Judy show in general is that it is so widely popular.

‘The Jubilee celebrations last year affirmed this with professors of Punch and Judy in very high demand.

‘The same popularity and demand seems to be evident again with the coronation.’

The parish council has been approached for a comment.

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