Testing the Audience's Taste for Blood

There's an irrational formula at the heart of "Punch" that viewers of shows such as "Dexter" -- Showtime's series about a sociopath who brings bloody justice to other serial killers -- can probably understand: Protagonist commits heinous acts. Blood flows like rain. Yet somehow we root for him anyway.

Watch "The Sopranos" or Heath Ledger's turn as the Joker in "The Dark Knight" and you'll feel the same contradictory impulse that drives Dog & Pony DC's blood-soaked, live-action staging of the classic "Punch and Judy" puppet show at Flashpoint's Mead Theatre Lab through Nov. 22.

The original routine has its roots in the Italian commedia dell'arte, which uses slapstick liberally. The rabble-rousing Mr. Punch, and the outrageous acts he commits against his wife, Judy, and others, generate bewildered laughter from the audience as his life story unfolds, culminating in a showdown with the devil.

Dog & Pony writer and director Wyckham Avery thought the age-old "Punch and Judy" trope needed an update and saw an opportunity to add a dose of the macabre to the mix.

"Part of what we're trying to investigate in this is how this really violent children's show can be funny," Avery says, "and seeing how gruesome we can make it, while it's still entertaining and funny."

Creating a redeemable antihero like Punch (played by Dan VanHoozer) requires finding the right balance between substance and style. If the character is too "anti," (think Christian Bale in "American Psycho"), there is little hope for redemption from the audience; too heroic (think Will Smith in "Hancock") and the character comes off as, well, a jerk.

VanHoozer's character isn't going to be loved by everyone during the hour-long performance, but part of Avery's intent is to knowingly test the audience's limits.

"Clearly, the show is not for everyone," she says, particularly small children. "There are disturbing, uncomfortable moments in there, too, and what we're looking to see is if Punch can win you back after that, if he can still make you laugh even after he makes you squirm in your seat a little bit."

On a set evoking puppet theaters of old, the cast of four performs in masks created by Avery. They aren't the production's only technical flourish: The crew includes a fight choreographer, Lorraine Ressegger, and Casey Kaleba, whom Avery describes as a "blood designer."

Kaleba will be responsible for planning and controlling the gratuitous volume of stage blood that will be loosed during the play. "Every sort of blood effect depends on several different factors about what you want the audience response to be, what the actual violence is that's happening, what the effect wants to be, whether it's a splash or a spurt or a gush," Avery says.

It's an effect that can potentially color the audience's perception of the violence and their overall perception of Punch.

Apparently, it can also color their clothes.

"We will be handing out trash bags to the first couple rows, just in case," Avery notes. "It's not a huge bloodbath, but I wouldn't necessarily wear your best Gucci suit or anything."

Punch Mead Theatre Lab at Flashpoint, 916 G St. NW. 866-811-4111.http://www.ovationtix.com. Through Nov. 22. $15.