Jo's Shows - Helsinki

30/08/2024

Pics c/o Joa Pietilä. Thanks, son 🙂

30/08/2024

Had a good day today.

30/08/2024

A very sunny 3pm show at the SAMPO International Puppet Festival. Thanks to my eldest Joa Pietilä for some great pics.

29/08/2024

FULL CIRCLE:
Mr Punch closes his summer season at the SAMPO International Puppet Festival this Friday 3pm & 5pm and Saturday 1pm and 3pm. Marking a 3 year full circle since his act was forged from four days of four shows experimenting with different parts of what became his standard 'set' at this very festival right off the back of the 2 year Lockdown. That's the way to do it!
https://sampofestival.fi/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0BMAABHd4xIkb11byuI5VjKviJ76vrb2ig04cVTC_C1QUY-5IQa54-xuD0CCDIdw_aem_6NUNLkRqK0z5Ppl0ERug9g&sfnsn=wa

Tämän vuoden ohjelma esittelee nukketeatteria laajalla skaalalla: pienimuotoisesta vauvateatterista suuren näyttämön varjoteatteriin, aikuisille suunnatusta absurdista esineteatterista kaikenikäisiä hauskuuttavaan, monimuotoiseen käsinukketeatteriin. Monipuolinen ohjelmisto tarjoaa siis joka...

15/08/2024

Had a lovely time with Mr. Punch in Mustakivi Leikipuisto, Aurinkolahti with a good bunch of kids for Helsinki's Night of the Arts. Great weather, too.

30/07/2024

NIGHT of the ARTS - AURINKOLAHTI, 15th Aug.
Heads-up! Mr. Punch will be making his appearance for Helsinki City's Night of the Arts in Aurinkolahti's Mustakivi Playpark at 4pm on Thursday 15th August. One show only - details to follow on Helsinki City's website later in August (subject to weather, as ever).

27/07/2024

Rounding off the summer holidays at Tokoinranta Playpark, Hakaniemi. Next shows 1pm and 3pm.

20/07/2024

But then it rained 🥺. Weather app said 3pm but Mr. Raindrops came early at 1pm. Never mind. Watch this space for next shows in Helsinki's lovely play parks this summer. And thanks, everyone, for your continued support 🤡

20/07/2024

Having a very pleasant day with Mr. Punch in Tokoinranta play park in Hakkaniemi. Weather predicted rain and thunder but not so. Very good crowd of excited kids this morning at 11am. Let's see how the 1pm afternoon show goes.

13/07/2024

Lovely day with some small but happy audiences today. At Lapinlahden Lähde

13/07/2024

Three Jos ready to go! Big Jo, Little Jo and Joey the Clown. All set for two shows today, 12pm and 2pm, at the Lapinlahden Lähde flea market in the park. Good to be back on such a bright sunny day!

14/06/2024

And that's me with Beadle and Ketch at 2.26 in this Fench news item 'Le Guignol Anglais' covering the recent Punch & Judy Mayfayre event in London's Covent Garden last month. What a great weekend that was.

🎭 Ce spectacle se joue sur une scène minuscule, et pourtant presque tous les Britanniques l'ont vu au moins une fois dans leur vie.

09/06/2024

Mr PUNCH'S 'ORIGIN STORY':
A neat little 10 min viddy from the Punch & Judy Fellowship (PJF) covering the historical and cultural origins of Mr Punch. And at 6:15, close observers can see me, Professor Jo, in my bowler hat and regular atire with Punch and Judy 'on hand' at last month's wonderful May Fayre in Covent Garden. Lots of colourful snippets and commentry by leading Punch performers providing the latest insight to our hero.

26/05/2024

PUNCH'S YORKSHIRE PARKIN:
Judy shows how to make traditional Yorkshire Parkin. Details on pics as you scroll

25/05/2024

Little Jo, all set up and ready to go, at Etalä Hääga Library's Medieval Festival in Jo's Punch and Judy Show. Did you know that it was amid the popularity of early 18th century urban fairs, such as Bartholomew Fair and Southwark Fair that our Mr Punch really started to gain his popularity among the everyday folk of London? Showtime 10:30 and 14:30.

21/05/2024

NEXT SHOW! THIS SATURDAY 25th MAY!
Mr Punch delightfully at Etalä-Haagen Kirjasto Medieval Festival in the school sports field Isonnenvantio 16 (10:00-15:00). Show times 10:30 and 15:30 (with maybe a cheeky one squeezed in at 12:00!).

Jo's Punch & Judy Show is an exciting, fast-paced and clown-like family comedy puppet show. Unique from England with over 360 years of comical chaos that's been making adults and children laugh for centuries. Performed in classic English seaside red and white striped booth with vintage hand carved wooden puppets by 'Professor Jo'. Come see the show!

Duration: Appx 30 mins
Fee: Voluntary donations (appx €5-€10) at your discretion to help feed hungry puppets and cover production costs for Jo's Shows
(Y-Tunnus 3296763-8. VAT Registered).

18/05/2024

Mr Punch all set-up and ready to go as part of the Meri-Rastila Kyläjuhla programme in Mari Rastila market square today at 13:30 & 14:50. Great weather for an early summer programme start!

15/05/2024

Humbled & Honoured!
As the cherry ontop of my 60th birthday weekend visit to London, I was both honoured and humbled to receive news at the 49th annual puppetry May Fayre in Covent Garden of my acceptance into the Punch & Judy Fellowship as a FULL member.

In a bid to introduce Mr Punch farther afield, I have been performing and developing "Jo's Punch & Judy Show" in and around Helsinki since 2022 to internationally mixed audiences in public parks, daycare & school settings and at organised events. Some unexpected ill-health earlier this year has curtailed efforts recently but I shall endeavour to see that our hero keeps his feet on the ground in Finland with some help from its puppetry community here.

It was a pleasure to have the opportunity to perform some highlights of my regular Helsinki show at the May Fayre in London using my vintage puppets (particularly Beadle and Ketch in their crazy 'rhythm and nonsense' dance routine) and a special guest appearance of my WG Grace cricket character (who hopes to one day make it to the Kerava National Cricket Ground here in Finland!)

Thank you to all involved in keeping this little piece of living history and cultural heritage 'alive' (particularly Milla Risku here in Helsinki). I intend to continue to do my part by respecting those same traditions while moving with the times - and places!

02/03/2024

All being well, I intend to be here at this big event in London on May 12th. In the 11am Punch parade around town at least. It was great fun last year.

COVENT GARDEN MAY FAYRE & PUPPET FESTIVAL
Sunday 12 May 2024
St Paul’s Church Garden, Bedford Street WC2E 9ED

Dear Friends,

We have great pleasure in inviting you to attend the 49th Annual Covent Garden May Fayre & Puppet Festival to be held this year on Sunday 12 May 2024 to celebrate Mr Punch’s 362nd birthday near the very spot that Samuel Pepys first saw Mr Punch in England in May 1662.

The May Fayre will take place in the garden of St Paul’s Church, Bedford Street, Covent Garden WC2E 9ED. The day will start with a Grand Procession at 11am led by the Superior Brass Band, followed by the Special Church Service at 12noon, and performances from 12.30 until 5.30pm. We are hoping for lots of sun and friendly crowds this year so please spread the word and join in the party.

We will be at the church to meet you from 9am. Pitches will be allocated on a first come first served basis and you may give as many performances as you wish during the day – bring a bottler ! All kinds of puppeteers and performers are welcome.

The Church continues to charge us £300 to use their premises, so any help you can give us towards this would be greatly appreciated.

Please email or write to us as soon as possible and let us know if you can come so that we know how many Puppeteers and Professors to cater for. We will try to make a contribution towards the UK travelling expenses of all those who actually perform, and provide you with refreshments during the day. Please note that we cannot pay for any overnight accommodation, or travel from abroad. Also please remember that if you intend to sell any items this must be done at the side of your booth, not in front, and that the things you sell must be puppet related. We do not expect to pay travel expenses to those actually selling goods. The Festival is to celebrate the Art of Puppetry. It is entirely run by volunteers and is not a commercial enterprise.

We are looking forward to seeing you all again at this 49th annual festival, and we hope to hear from you very soon.

With best wishes from Maggie Pinhorn, Amy Dyke-Coomes and the May Fayre Committee.

Please reply to:-
The May Fayre Committee, c/o Alternative Arts, 530A Commercial Road, London E1 0HY
Tel: 07852372362 email [email protected]

01/03/2024

'A pinch and a punch for the first day of the month' as we say. Traditionaly in England, that's a pinch of salt (that witches don't like) and a gentle punch on the arm to send them away. A quick claim of 'white rabbits' can protect you from any returns. But if too slow then expect 'a flick and a kick for being so quick' in reply. American tradition has it that George Washington would offer a fruit 'punch' drink with a 'pinch' of salt in it to the native Indians for talks on the 1st of each month. Hence a 'pinch-punch' for first of month. Take your pick but don't for get your 'white rabbits' protection 🐰

27/02/2024

Lovely weekend showcasing the full 50 minutes of my Punch & Judy routines and full range of characters to visiting family in my front room. Looking forward to more in Helsinki's pleasent parks this summer.

05/02/2024

I attended this event last year with my own Joey the Clown on hand (a direct representation of Grimaldi in Punch and Judy) and was planning to do so again this year. Nice to see it gaining wider recognition. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-68199834?fbclid=IwAR3DbHKA77l6HYxMlfssjDPgkjWwVnmnzOsHEF8XjXhkGTEVM82f5QOrgRQ

The event in Hackney remembers the "father of clowning" Joseph Grimaldi.

01/02/2024

The magical and mysterious Mr. Onni Wah-Wah much appreciated the kids' excitement and enthusiasm during his Comedy Magic Show with KiddiFeet Oy kindergarten/päiväkoti last week in Espoo.