The Wonderful and Gruesome Drama of Punch and Judy

For over 300 years, audiences have been dazzled and delighted by the irreverent energy and outrageous hijinks on display in Punch and Judy shows. This contemporary take on the traditional show features hand puppets created from up-cycled designer trash, music played on everything from the cornet to the bicycle pump, and politics that won't make you puke. It’s a melodrama of epically small proportions, and it’s so funny that you’ll forget to take out your phone for at least the first half hour. Join Rose Friedman, ukulele genius, and showman-of-the-absurd Justin Lander as they combine vaudevillian styling with improvised storytelling on their eccentric, itinerant puppet stage in this adults-only version of the classic show featuring puppetry's most famous loudmouth. Recommended for adults and teens.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS

Modern Times Theater has been adapting and updating Punch and Judy shows for over a decade. Co-founders Rose Friedman and Justin Lander are a husband and wife duo based in Vermont. Parents themselves, they strive to present quality entertainment that the whole family can enjoy.

Rose Friedman has been working in theater since she was a young child. She studied at the Moscow Art Theater and New School University. She has worked as a performer and workshop leader with Bread and Puppet Theater for the last 15 years, and is a founding member of Modern Times Theater and Vermont Vaudeville. She sings traditional American music and plays the baritone horn and the ukulele.

Justin Lander is a performer, puppeteer, musician, and cheap artist. He studied performance art, improvisational theater, and neuroscience at Bates College. He has worked as a full time touring member of the Bread and Puppet Theater. He is a founding member of Modern Times Theater and Vermont Vaudeville. He plays the cornet and upright bass, and specializes in novelty instruments such as the slide whistle, the bicycle pump, and the human xylophone.