Punch and Judy Professor Gary, Londoner #155

Gary has been obsessed with Punch and Judy since he was a child. When he was 15 he performed at the Millennium Dome and is now one of the most respected ‘professors’ in the country. He even makes all of his puppets, carving them in the courtyard outside his shared flat in Kennington.

1000 LONDONERS

This film is part of 1000 Londoners, a five-year digital project which aims to create a digital portrait of a city through 1000 of the people who identify themselves with it. The profile contains a 3 minute film that gives an insight into the life of the Londoner, as well as their personal photos of London and some answers to crucial questions about their views on London life. Over the course of the project we aim to reveal as many facets of the capital as possible, seeing city life from 1000 points of view.

Twitter: @1000_londoners

Transcript:

I don't think there was ever a moment when I said "I want to be a Punch and Judy man." Well I first saw Punch and Judy as a kid on
the beach in Weymouth, and I just loved it It's one of those things that just gets under your skin, and if the professor was doing two, three shows a day I'd watch every single one, I'd drag Mum and Dad to go and watch the show. I've never really grown up I suppose. There's as many different Punch and Judy shows as there are professors, really It all starts with the same basic framework
of a story, and we add and take away bits and put our own personalities into it really. Roll up, roll up ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls. The next Punch and Judy show is just about to begin. Roll up, Roll up! Hello everybody! The whole thing about Punch and Judy is that it's a connection with the past. There's something about the tradition, which I love and you're doing something that was done in the same way pretty much hundreds of year ago. I don't want to play with people's expectations
too much.

-Don't do that to me

We move the show on a little bit, to come along and do a Victorian show would just be... ridiculous

-(evil laughter) I'm the devil!
-Nigel Farage?
-Nigel Farage? I'm not that bad mate!

The puppets I had were sort of getting a bit... a bit too battered to kind of just put a touch of paint on, so I thought well why don't I
just try and make my own?

-How do you do? How do you do?
-Ha ha ha ha

This is the first Punch I made, and it takes about – this one took about 3 weeks. I mean, you have to touch up his nose and
repaint him from time to time but that head should last a lifetime. That's another one of mine, this is a Punch that I've made for David. He's a big collector of Punch and Judy puppets. It started recently, people have been asking me to make them puppets, but I don't have the space. Here in Kennington I live with 2 other lads
that work in the theatre, so it's a house share but we do have a courtyard so I can take them outside and do a bit of woodwork, a bit of light woodwork. Don't know what the neighbours think. You're part actor, part puppeteer, part comedian, part director, you know, part artist, everything I like to have full control over it, so I
can get everything as I want it. If you've enjoyed the show there's a hat going around, and if you'd like to make a contribution we'd be very grateful. I try, you know, it's not something that I
carry around with me, I don't get Mr Punch out of his box too often when I'm at home... because that would be a bit weird (laughs) Thank you very much Mrs. Bags of Fun

-Have you got it all in one handful

Yeah, big hands! (laughs) Cheers, thanks for that. Funny way to make a living innit (laughs)