Cirrus@Austlit

'As someone who grew up in England, I have vivid memories of the ­annual seaside holiday with my parents and the inevitable Punch and Judy puppet show on the beach. Punch originated in Italy (Puncinello) and by the time I encountered him, in post-war Britain, his “act” was pretty much set in stone. Armed with his “slapstick”, he would lash out at anyone, including the long-suffering Judy. Other characters routinely included the baby, the dog who steals Punch’s sausages, a policeman and, rather mysteriously, a ­crocodile. Audiences watched with a mixture of awe (at the artistry of the puppetry) and horror (at the violence and brutality). A typical audience of children watching a show, most of them clearly terrified, is seen at the conclusion of Australian writer-director Mirrah Foulkes’s ambitious first feature, Judy & Punch.' (Introduction)