Thursday, October 1, 2009

etymo

The X and Judy show can trace its roots to the 16th-century Italian commedia dell'arte. The figure of X derives from the Neapolitan stock character of Pulcinella. He is a manifestation of the Lord of Misrule and Trickster figures of deep-rooted mythologies.

In the British X and Judy show, X wears a jester's motley and is a hunchback whose hooked nose almost meets his curved jutting chin. He carries a stick, as large as himself, which he freely uses upon all the other characters in the show. He speaks in a distinctive squawking voice, produced by a contrivance known as a swazzle or swatchel which the professor holds in his mouth, transmitting his gleeful cackle— "That's the way to do it". So important is Mr X's signature sound that it is a matter of some controversy within X and Judy circles as to whether a "non-swazzled" show

The story changes, but some phrases remain the same for decades or even centuries: for example, X, after dispatching his foes each in turn, still squeaks his famous catchphrase "That's the way to do it!!"

The storry typically involves X behaving outrageously, struggling with his wife Judy and the Baby, and then triumphing in a series of encounters with the forces of law and order (and often the supernatural). The classic ending of the show has him upending the Devil himself, exclaiming "Huzzah huzzah, I've killed the Devil!".

What term evolved from X's iconic exclamations ???

3 comments:

Shazz said...

Whoa... noone else guessed Punch and Judy??

Mohawk said...

It's punchline

Shazz said...

Aaah... my bad. didn't read the question all the way to the end...