The Yellow Site
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Pulcinella was originally a character in the commedia dell'arte, originally portrayed as dressed in white with a black face. Later, he evolved into Punchinello or Mr Punch, as well as influencing and, originally, starring alongside Guignol. Although seen as quintessentially English, in the 18th century Mr Punch was extremely popular in Paris, as well as crossing to the American colonies. Originally a marionette, he later evolved into a hand puppet to reduce costs. His wife was originally named Joan but later became Judy. A full listing of subsidary characters can be found in the Wikipedia article. In his characteristic red outfit, he has some slight similarity to other 'colourful beings'.

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