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The Transfiguration of Mister Punch
The Transfiguration Of Mister Punch features new writings by Cate Gardner, Charles Schneider and D.P. Watt.
But what - I hear you ask – is it all about? For some – for most perhaps - the very name of Punch will be enough ignite in their minds pictures of grotesque and cracked lacquered wooden things, of bells and distended bellies and moon-shaped grinning heads; or else they might find themselves involuntarily drawn to some garish childhood memory of fairground pandemonium or the melancholic sounds of candystriped tarpaulin flapping on some windblown seafront where Punch and his associates screeched and capered for their entertainment. Yet for all their pin-prickly poignancy, these thoughts are essentially superficial, grounded as they are in basic sentimentality.
The Transfiguration Of Mister Punch proffers something more complex. It is the work of three celebrated contemporary writers, working more or less in isolation from one another to produce what might be termed a literary triptych – a three panelled piece – fantastical in its parts, suggestive in its entirety of a reality altogether out of this dream we call life. A reality behind that little rectangle of gloom and plywood scenery where the myth of Punch is played out in time honoured fashion to the human world. This is the wondrous and dreadful, tragical and comical domain of Mister Punch & Co., fettered no more by the manipulations of humanity; real living things, breathing, large as life, real as the stars.
The contents of the book reads thusly:
The Show That Must Never Die by Charles Schneider - A curious and rambling essay with certain grand, glorious and once-secret revelations.
Memorabilia by D.P. Watt - An evening’s entertainment for two players, incorporating a number of singular tales.
This Foolish & Harmful Delight by Cate Gardner – A grotesque novella set in hell and theatreland, concerning love, death, dismemberment and a mechanical heart
The book is a lithographically printed, 256 page sewn hardback with colour endpapers. ISBN 978-0-957160637. It is priced at £30 inclusive of P&P and is limited to 300 copies. The first 150 copies include an exclusive postcard of Charles Schneider's deranged Punch oil painting “How Do, Mr. Toby”.
But what - I hear you ask – is it all about? For some – for most perhaps - the very name of Punch will be enough ignite in their minds pictures of grotesque and cracked lacquered wooden things, of bells and distended bellies and moon-shaped grinning heads; or else they might find themselves involuntarily drawn to some garish childhood memory of fairground pandemonium or the melancholic sounds of candystriped tarpaulin flapping on some windblown seafront where Punch and his associates screeched and capered for their entertainment. Yet for all their pin-prickly poignancy, these thoughts are essentially superficial, grounded as they are in basic sentimentality.
The Transfiguration Of Mister Punch proffers something more complex. It is the work of three celebrated contemporary writers, working more or less in isolation from one another to produce what might be termed a literary triptych – a three panelled piece – fantastical in its parts, suggestive in its entirety of a reality altogether out of this dream we call life. A reality behind that little rectangle of gloom and plywood scenery where the myth of Punch is played out in time honoured fashion to the human world. This is the wondrous and dreadful, tragical and comical domain of Mister Punch & Co., fettered no more by the manipulations of humanity; real living things, breathing, large as life, real as the stars.
The contents of the book reads thusly:
The Show That Must Never Die by Charles Schneider - A curious and rambling essay with certain grand, glorious and once-secret revelations.
Memorabilia by D.P. Watt - An evening’s entertainment for two players, incorporating a number of singular tales.
This Foolish & Harmful Delight by Cate Gardner – A grotesque novella set in hell and theatreland, concerning love, death, dismemberment and a mechanical heart
The book is a lithographically printed, 256 page sewn hardback with colour endpapers. ISBN 978-0-957160637. It is priced at £30 inclusive of P&P and is limited to 300 copies. The first 150 copies include an exclusive postcard of Charles Schneider's deranged Punch oil painting “How Do, Mr. Toby”.
- GenresHorror
255 pages, Hardcover
First published August 19, 2013
2 people are currently reading
43 people want to read
About the author
Charles Schneider
20 books37 followersCharles Schneider has spent his life exploring the realms of the macabre with a mercurial, and sometimes, comedic twist. His weird horror stories gained recognition by connoisseurs and major creators in the horror genre, with the publication of The Mauve Embellishments, a collection of stories and art. This book is now as rare as the calculated title story in the collection.
His film work is filled with similar dark visions of odd dream-like places. Schneider's artwork matches this decadently playful aesthetic. In fact, he was chosen to paint the "death portraits" in the feature film ART SCHOOL CONFIDENTIAL. As a character actor, his face and voice are equally distinct.
He edits books about obscure and forgotten aspects of popular culture, such as Burlesque Paraphernalia, published by Fantagraphics Books.
An interesting article about his years as a writer and director of Grand Guignol-inspired theatre may be read here:
http://www.worldheadpress.com/ezine7/
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
December 12, 2019
I'm just home after being away for nearly a week so I'm not in the best mental shape to post about the book yet.
Initial thoughts: LOVED the first story, "The Show That Must Never Die," by Charles Schneider; loved the second story by D.P. Watt, "Memorabilia: An Evening's Entertainent for Two Papers." The final story by Cate Gardner, "This Foolish and Harmful Delight" was a bit too much on the gory/horror-ish side for my taste and I really had no idea where it was going until the last page.
more soon, for sure.
Initial thoughts: LOVED the first story, "The Show That Must Never Die," by Charles Schneider; loved the second story by D.P. Watt, "Memorabilia: An Evening's Entertainent for Two Papers." The final story by Cate Gardner, "This Foolish and Harmful Delight" was a bit too much on the gory/horror-ish side for my taste and I really had no idea where it was going until the last page.
more soon, for sure.
January 19, 2021
“In the beginning was The Swazzle, and the Swazzle was with Punch.”
Mister Schneider, whether you are Mister Punch yourself, or I am, or some other reader is, or each one of us is, or others subject to ‘The Transfiguration of Judy’ are, or we are all bits of, say, the chipped paint off the exterior of Puppetry itself, or we are the spaces within it, whether all this or more, YOU and YOU alone so far have managed to convey, in this wonderful Novelty, not only the Transfiguration but also the Transcendence of this Tradition that I ‘enjoyed’ as a child in the form of Punch & Judy, be that Transcendence geomantic, lunar, thaumaturgical, archetypal in a Jungian sense, literarily-literally symbiotic or something else even more powerful that will only become clear as we dwell on the still fusing connections. Congratulations. I like your style. That’s the way to do it.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.
Mister Schneider, whether you are Mister Punch yourself, or I am, or some other reader is, or each one of us is, or others subject to ‘The Transfiguration of Judy’ are, or we are all bits of, say, the chipped paint off the exterior of Puppetry itself, or we are the spaces within it, whether all this or more, YOU and YOU alone so far have managed to convey, in this wonderful Novelty, not only the Transfiguration but also the Transcendence of this Tradition that I ‘enjoyed’ as a child in the form of Punch & Judy, be that Transcendence geomantic, lunar, thaumaturgical, archetypal in a Jungian sense, literarily-literally symbiotic or something else even more powerful that will only become clear as we dwell on the still fusing connections. Congratulations. I like your style. That’s the way to do it.
The detailed review of this book posted elsewhere under my name is too long or impractical to post here.
Above is one of its observations at the time of the review.
May 11, 2019
I feel terrible about this rating. Egaeus Press is a small publisher making beautiful weird books-- but I just didn't enjoy this collection.
I *can* wholeheartedly recommend Rumbullion and Other Liminal Libations, Shadow Plays, and The Echo of The Sea & other Strange War Stories... see my list here and dig up something you might like.
Books that are still in print can be purchased from the publisher: http://www.egaeuspress.com/Titles_In_...
I *can* wholeheartedly recommend Rumbullion and Other Liminal Libations, Shadow Plays, and The Echo of The Sea & other Strange War Stories... see my list here and dig up something you might like.
Books that are still in print can be purchased from the publisher: http://www.egaeuspress.com/Titles_In_...
November 23, 2018
The first part-The Show That Must Never Die by Charles Schneider was just rubbish. I thought the story just wandered aimlessly and I found it very difficult to read. The second part Memorabilia: An Evening's Entertainment For Two Players by D. P. Watt was much better although it was a bit muddled at times. The third part This Foolish & Harmful Delight by Cate Gardner was clearly the best part, I really liked it, and the saving grace of the novel.
Want to read
October 29, 2014This book contains art and line drawings, and so shouldn't be attempted as an audiobook.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews