JUDY, OUT OF THE BOX by Lynn Woollacott
available directly from the author: [email protected]
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Lynn Woollacott was born in 1955 in Nottinghamshire, and lives in the seaside town of Cromer. She's had many jobs from sewing buttons on cardigans to working as a lab technician in an all-girls school. She gained a BSc (Hons) with the Open University and went on to teach at Outdoor Centres in North Norfolk. Still with adult education she studied creative writing with the University of East Anglia. Lynn’s mixed the dynamics of Judy and Punch, and Judy’s predicament, creating many layers in the strange, engaging and thought-provoking poems of 'Judy, Out of the Box'.
Lyn Woollacott writes:
"The appearance of Punch and Judy shows originated in Italy, in the fourteenth century. An early poster depicts the first performance in London as witnessed by Samuel Pepys in 1662. The shows have been part of British culture in seaside towns, market towns and cities since then. In initial shows Punch would kill his wife and child; Ghost would appear, representing Judy and the ghost of Punch united together as one. Even today, Punch falls into hysterics every time he sees Ghost. Historically the Crocodile represented the Devil, and Shallabalah was the Grand Turk of Senoa. During the 1800’s Shallabalah became the Publican. Lynn’s poems riff upon Judy’s co-dependant relationships. With dark and light shades in situations relevant to the characters this fictional world examines the human side of Judy’s best and worst thoughts and behaviour."
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