The Punch show as we know it sprang from the streets. The earlier fairground puppet shows where Punch appeared were largely marionette shows. The very nature of street work, a potentially large gathering of people standing in a small area, dictated the design of the booth. It had to be easily transportable and when erected the people had to be able to see the puppets. The puppets were held high above the showman's head so they could be seen. The booth was built round him so that he couldn't be seen.
The practice of hands above head continued when the shows moved to the seaside and with the huge crowds the Punch shows enjoyed it was necessary to be as high as possible. Many seaside shows were not only worked hands above head but also the fit-up was built on a platform to raise the little actors even higher.
In recent years conditions have changed. We rarely work on the streets, we rarely work to really huge crowds, and the majority of our audiences are seated and often on the ground. This has meant that a lower playboard is desirable and so many of us have changed to working hands in front of face. The performer stands behind a scrim backcloth and works the puppets in front. This allows the performer to see the puppets and also to see the audience. Despite the limitations on movements many of us have come to prefer this style of working.
The above is just a preamble to what I hope will prove an interesting thread. Among those of us who work this way there are some who paint their own backcloths. What I would like is contributions describing how you go about it. What kind of materials do you choose, what kind of paint or dyes do you use, how do you attach your cloth to the fit-up.
This is a topic where there must be many variations, and there must be many tips of value you can offer. Who will start the ball rolling?