Introduction

The continuing art adventures of Doofus and the Duck and their Company of players, as created by my wonderful wife Emma during the time of quarantine: the COVID-19 pandemic, now continuing into 2021. This is the eleventh installment of works, the Company remaining at the height of their creative endeavors.

Without further ado, back to the Doofus and the Duck…

March 2021

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the recent US Conservative Political Action Conference 2021, their tableau of a drawing by seminal Romantic English poet, painter, printmaker, and touched visionary William Blake, entitled “The Last Trump (c. 1780-85),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Cool Cat Playing the Note that Resurrects the World

A simple, elegant, and wonderful depiction of a Blake drawing, with a touch of modern political satire thrown in for good measure. Hard not to love it, particularly with such a fine effort from the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot. A Fantastic introduction to March!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their on-going series of solo works, their tableau of a work by French Neo-classical academician painter Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, entitled “La Grande Odalisque (1814),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Julia-Anne Saint-Marche, a Delightful Neo-Romantic

Fantastic work by the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot who manages to perfectly capture the languidness and anatomical distortions that made the original showing of this work such a scandal. It is as if the Frenchman had a bandicoot at hand to verify his works. Perfect!

Doofus and the Duck present, in commemoration of the recent death of the great Canadian actor Christopher Plummer, and as part of their occasional series of epic movie posters, their tableau of one of the main promotional posters for the beloved American film adaption of the Rodgers and Hammerstein award-winning musical, entitled “The Sound of Music (1965),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Maria von Trapp, and featuring the Purple Hippo as A Lonely Goatherd, and featuring the Little Sheep as A Lonely Goat

Wonderful! And perfectly timed for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras weekend…

Doofus and the Duck present their tableau of an early work by Late-Gothic Florentine master Paolo Uccello, entitled “Saint George and the Dragon (1458-60),” starring Shaun the Sheep as San Giorgio

A delightfully fun and playful take on the lesser of Uccello’s “St George and the Dragon” works, with Shaun the Sheep doing a comic act as the hero, and the Duck–Is there anyone in the Company, apart from the Purple Hippo, less able to play a serious dragon than the Duck?–making an excellent dress-up beast? Colour and wonder dominate, and that is a excellent thing. Once more post-modern irony comes to the fore!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the 42nd Sydney Gay & Lesbian Mardi Gras being held this weekend, their tableau of a Belle Époque poster by French painter and lithographer Jules Chéret, entitled “Folies Bergère, L’Arc en Ciel (1893),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Magic Man, and featuring the Purple Hippo as The Artiste

A complete, epic, colourful, over-the-top mashup that is simply perfect! Fantastic work!

Doofus and the Duck present their tableau of a drawing by the late 19th-early 20th Century English artist Louis William Wain, entitled “The Cat’s Nightmare (1890),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Mr Cuddles, a Rather Frightened Fellow!, and featuring the Purple Hippo as Scared E. Cat, and introducing Pingu the Pop-up Paper Penguin as itself

Pass…

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of International Women’s Day, and as part of their on-going series of solo works, American artist J. Howard Miller’s World War II-era iconic motivational poster for the Westinghouse Electric Company, entitled “We Can Do It! (1943),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Rosie the Riveter

A superlative interpretation of a modern classic. Marvelous!

Doofus and the Duck present their tableau of a painting by French post-Impressionist master Paul Gauguin, entitled “Vision After the Sermon (Jacob Wrestling with the Angel) (1888),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as A Not-Very Powerful Angel of the Lord, and featuring Shaun the Sheep as the Patriarch Jacob, and the Purple Hippo as A Woman from Brittany

Once more the Company shows how comprehensive the depths of its creativity are, taking one of Gauguin’s works and amplifying the critical aspects of the work. In this case the artist’s primary inspiration was a set of Japanese woodblock prints, and here we see the Company taking that Easter styling another step through the use of Coo (who is originally from Vietnam), and the Little Big Stone Head facing us (a reference to the South Pacific, which would be critical in Gauguin’s later life). As always, excellent work by the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot, and a fine showing from Shaun the Sheep who is excelling at the roles he is being asked to play. A very fine work indeed!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their on-going series of solo works, a tableau of an Art Nouveau work by Edwardian-era American expatriate artist John Singer Sargent, entitled “Hercules and the Hydra (1921),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Might Hero Hēraklês, and featuring the Little Blue Men, putting their best feet forward, as The Hydra

A stunningly beautiful re-imagining of Sargent’s rather pedestrian–Dare we say “banal”? I think we can!–and dated work, bringing it to life with a combination of compositional dynamism and gorgeous colours. The ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot is believable in its battle against the ultimate enemy, and the Little Blue Men wonderfully courageous in their efforts at recreating the monster. Superb!

Doofus and the Duck present, their tableau of a “sketch” by famed Rococo Venetian artist Giovanni Domenico Tiepolo, entitled “The Procession of the Trojan Horse (c. 1760),” featuring the Purple Hippo as The Misunderstood Cassandra, the Little Blue Men as Trojan Plebs, and introducing Boxer the Stuffed Clydesdale as The Trojan Horse

Another monumental work from the Company, and it is pleasant to see them do a Rococo work, if an uncompleted and minor one. Whilst clearly an introductory work for a new cast member (Welcome, Boxer!), the Little Blue Men are clearly in their element as roustabout workers, much in the vein of their Gulliver effort, and clearly enjoying their freedom. Well done!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their on-going series of famous movie posters, their tableau of the cinematic release artwork by American artist Roger Kastel for Stephen Spielberg’s classic blockbuster-thriller, entitled “Jaws (1975),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Manō Keʻokeʻo Nui, the Terrifying Shark

Stunning special effects from the Company’s production department, and excellent work from both Doofus and the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot, how shows a delightful set of teeth! An excellent production.

Doofus and the Duck present, in recognition of the tenth anniversary of the marriage of the Founders of the Company, their tableau of the event, taken from a montage of stills by the Sydney photographer Patrick Boland, entitled “Marriage at St Francis, Paddington (2011),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Most Excellent Director of Music, featuring the Purple Hippo as The Best Supporting Actress, and introducing the Little Big Stone Head as The Best Man

Outstanding!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the recent Christian Feast Day of St Joseph and the upcoming service of Tenebrae, their tableau of a painting by French Baroque master of religious chiaroscuro scenes Georges de La Tour, entitled “The Dream of Saint Joseph (1628-1645),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as An Angel of the Lord

Once again the Company shows us how comfortable they are working in low-light and dramatically-lit compositions. The excellent work by the principals–Doofus is particularly convincing as the sleeping Joseph–couples with the use of a single candle to recreate much of the affect of de La Tour’s original, albeit with a somewhat richer palette (a Company hallmark). Fine work indeed!

Doofus and the Duck present their tableau of the famous equestrian portrait by the preeminent Neoclassical French artist Jacques-Louis David, entitled “Le Premier Consul franchissant les Alpes au col du Grand Saint-Bernard (Napoleon Crossing the Alps) (1801),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as the First Consul of the Republic Napoleon Bonaparte, featuring the Little Blue Men as Revolutionary Soldiers of France and Trevor the Trilobite as An Alpine Rock, plus introducing Horse as The Fiery Steed la Belle.

A stirring interpretation of this famous political work by David, with Bonaparte delightfully played by the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot and excellent support from some of the less-regular members of the Company; the introduction of Horse, along with the recent addition of Boxer the Stuffed Clydesdale, also bode well for future equestrian works. A fine dramatic piece!

April 2021

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the First Day of the Christian Paschal Triduum, their tableau of the masterpiece painted on the refectory wall of the Convent of Santa Maria delle Grazie by Italian High Renaissance polymath Leonardo da Vinci, as reproduced by his help-mate Giampietrino, entitled “The Last Supper (c.1520),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Jesus the Son of Man, and featuring the Purple Hippo as The Most Loved Disciple, and Shaun the Sheep as The Traitor Judas Iscariot

Simply stunning!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the Second Day of the Christian Paschal Triduum, their tableau of an altarpiece by famed Italian Renaissance master Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio, housed in the Chiesa Nuova (in Rome), entitled “The Entombment of Christ (1603-1604),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Mary, the Mother of Baby Jesus now Crucified, and featuring Shaun the Sheep as the Pharisee Nicodemus

Another beautiful, and touching, interpretation of a well-known Caravaggio masterpiece with excellent work from all. Once again the Lighting Dept have shown how well they understand the master’s use of tenebrism. Lovely work indeed!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the Third Day of the Christian Paschal Triduum, their tableau of a mural painted by the Early Renaissance Florentine mathematician, humanist, and painter Piero della Francesca on the wall of the communal meeting hall, the Palazzo della Residenza, in his home town of Sansepolcro, entitled “The Resurrection (c.1465),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as A Very Snoozy Soldier, featuring Shaun the Sheep as The Risen Saviour, and introducing the Renaissance Dutch Dominoes as The Holy Sepulcher, with a special guest appearance by the Purple Hippo as The Easter Bunny

The Company performs some Easter magic and creates both a moving tribute to Piero’s masterwork, and a fun-filled parody of the same work, simultaneously. Quite an effort! Excellent work from Mr the Sheep who managed to move up the ladder from Judas to Nicodemus to Jesus in a matter of three day (dare we say another Easter miracle?), and from the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot (whose trajectory went quite the other way), however the Purple Hippo and its sidekick? Perhaps we shall let history have the last word on their contribution. All in all a magnificent triplet from the Company this Easter and we all look forward to more for the next year!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their on-going series of great illustrations, their tableau of an illustration, by Spanish master Pablo Picasso, created for the French journal ‘Les Lettres Françaises’ in celebration of the 350th anniversary of the first publication of the novel by author Miguel de Cervantes, entitled “Don Quixote (1955),” featuring the Purple Hippo as Pancho Sanza the Great Hero, the Little Sheep as El Asno the Donkey, and introducing the Black Horse as Rocinante, and the Little Strandbeest as The Windmill

A bravura performance by Doofus and the Black Horse, who excel, mixed with the Purple Hippo standing on the back of the Little Sheep attempting to convince us it is the gormless squire Sancho Panza on his donkey. If it weren’t so apropos it would be laughable. As it is, it is laughable and endearing. Astounding!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the 269th anniversary of the event, their tableau of a painting by self-taught Amercian founder of British Royal Academy Benjamin West, entitled “Benjamin Franklin Drawing Electricity from the Sky (c.1816),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as the Intrepid Polymath Benjamin Franklin, and featuring the Purple Hippo as A Naked Kid

Whilst this is a romanticized, and oh-so-dated, painting of an event that is unlikely to have happened (though Ben certainly did propose the experiment), the Company have managed to turn a this ear of a painting into a purse: the colours are delightful, the Bandicoot is convincing, and the backdrop spectacular. It is a pity these efforts have been expended on a rather ridiculous work. A for effort, non the less!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their on-going series of famous illustrations and in honour of the recent Christian festival of Quasimodo Sunday, their tableau of a plate by French academic painter Luc-Olivier Merson created for an edition of a novel by Victor Hugo, entitled “The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1881),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Quasimodo a Misunderstood Youth, and the Bros. Gargoyle de Notre-Dame as themselves

A simply stunning interpretation of this work, totally magical, with the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot stunning as Quasimodo, however the true delight of this version of the work is the cityscape of Paris. Brilliant!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their on-going series of solo works, their tableau of a work by French winner of the Prix de Rome (1866) Henri Regnault, entitled “Automedon with the Horses of Achilles (1868),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as the Mighty Charioteer Automedon son of Diores, and introducing Boxer the Stuffed Clydesdale as Xanthus and Black Horse as Balius, the immortal horses of Achilles

Another epic interpretation of a minor Romantic work. Excellent work from the Company’s newest members. Well done!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their on-going series of movie moments, their tableau of a painting by American narrative-realist artist Donato Giancolo of an imagined scene taken from a segment of the 1940 Disney animated classic “Fantasia,” entitled “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (2011),” featuring the Purple Hippo as The World’s Most Famous Rodent Michael J. Mouse, and introducing the Little Blue Men as The Help

An outstanding effort from the Company: the Purple Hippo is excellent as the gormless mouse; the Blue Men are in their element as the fanatical magic brooms; and the set and lighting are marvels. Absolutely brilliant!