Punch and Judy

Punch and Judy (Birtwistle). Libretto by Stephen Pruslin; 1 act (in 9 sections with prol. and epil.); first performance Aldeburgh 1968, conducted by David Atherton.

Legendary times: Choregos opens his Punch-and-Judy booth; he comments on the action. Punch sings a lullaby to his baby, whom he then throws in the fire. Judy discovers the body and he stabs her, later killing the Doctor and the Lawyer. Three times Punch searches for Pretty Polly, but each time she rejects him. When he kills Choregos, a nightmare begins in which his disguised victims come back to seek revenge. Condemned to death, Punch is in prison. The hangman is Jack Ketch (the disguised Choregos) and Punch tricks him into putting the noose round his own neck and hangs him. By killing the Hangman, Punch earns redemption and Pretty Polly returns his love. Choregos sings the epilogue.