Introduction

The continuing art adventures of Doofus and the Duck and their Company of players, as created by my wonderful wife Emma during the never-ending time of COVID-19 pandemic continuing now for a third year into 2022. This is the twentyth installment of works, the Company remaining at the height of their creative endeavors.

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

April 2022 (cont.)

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the Commencement of the Western Christian most sacred time known collectively as Holy Week and in memory of the 107th anniversay of the devastation caused by the eruption of Mount Tambora, their tableau of a work by current American “folk” artist Bill Hemmerling, entitled “Palm Sunday (date unknown, btw 2002-2009),” starring Shaun the Sheep as The Guy with the Palm Bouquet; and featuring the Family Stone Head as Palm Sunday Worshippers, and the Purple Hippo and the Little Penguin as The Kids

This delightful, colourful, and inventive interpretation of Hemmerling’s three-tone original gives us a less static and more homourous play of native Catholicism than found on the canvas. Well executed!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the recent 94th birthday of the Amazing American musician, singer-songwriter, satirist, and mathematician Tom Lehrer and as part of their on-going series of both solo works and iconic photographs, their tableau of a portrait by English photographer Norman Parkinson, entitled “You’re not eating… (1959),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Mr Tom Lehrer, Pigeon-poisoner Extraordinaire

It is quite astounding to see how far the Company is will to go in their artistic endeavours, and this is a prime example, and it is a complete delight! Bravo!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their Easter 2022 Series their tableau of a work by Greek-born Spanish Renaissance painter Domḗnikos Theotokópoulos (known as El Greco) suitable for Maundy Thursday, entitled “The Agony in the Garden (1590-1595),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Angel of the Lord; and featuring the Purple Hippo and the Little Sheep as Very Snoozy yet Surprisingly Awake Disciples; and the Little Blue Men as Judas’s Horde

A beautiful rendition of this difficult work by El Greco. As usual, the Duck is sublime; the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot magnificent in its over-acting; the Little Blue Men effective; and our two little friends, eager to please. Very good indeed!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their Easter 2022 Series their tableau of a English poet, painter, and Romantic mystic William Blake symbolic of the celebration of the Easter Vigil service on Holy Saturday, entitled “The Angels Hovering over the Body of Christ in the Sepulchre (c. 1805),” starring the Cousins Doofus

A beautiful and tasteful interpretation of this scene by the Doofii. Wonderful!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their Easter 2022 Series and in preparation for the upcoming Eastern Orthodox celebration of Holy Week, their tableau of a work by 19th Century realist painter, born and raised in Kyiv, Mykola Kornylovych Pymonenko, depicting an idyll of Ukrainian country life very early one Easter Sunday morning, entitled “Easter Matins in the Ukraine (1891),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Ludmilla Beletskova, a Beautiful Maid; and featuring the Purple Hippo, the Little Sheep, and the Little Penguin as Excited Easter Children Wanting Their Eggs!

A fantastic ensemble piece by the Company highlighting the depth of vision the founders had when they first formed as an organization around two years ago. A complete delight!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their Easter 2022 Series and commemoration of the various levels of feasting associated with Easter Sunday, their tableau of work by 18th Century French artist Gaspard Duché de Vancy completed whilst part of the crew for Commodore Jean François de Galaup, comte de Lapérouse’s the global scientific expedition, completed on Easter Island and entitled “Monuments et insulaires de l’île de Pâques (1786),” featuring The Family Stone Head as The Moai, the Purple Hippo as The Young and Colourful Hoa Hakananai’a, and the Little Blue Men as Frenchies

Quite wonderfully vacuous!

May 2022

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of both the UNESCO declared International Jazz Day and International Workers’ Day, their tableau of painting by French 19th Century Academic and salon painter William-Adolphe Bouguereau, entitled “Dante et Virgil (1850),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Incomparable Roman Poet Virgil and Shaun the Sheep as The Great Renaissance Poet Dante; and introducing the Little Tasmanian Devil as A Malevolent and Dire Evil Angel

A stunning interpretation by the Company of what, is in the end, a rather facile work from a painter desperately seeking official approval. The Doofii are superb as the tormented pair in Hell; the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot, fresh from its travels, and Shaun the Sheep are convincing as the principals; and our new friends, freshly recruited from Tasmania, are showing promising form. Divine!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the 529th anniversary of Pope Alexander VI creating the Line of Demarcation dividing the world outside of Europe between Spain and Portugal and as part of their on-going series of solo works, their tableau of a painting by 20th century Belgian surrealist René François Ghislain Magritte, entitled “The Treachery of Images (1929),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Famous Pipe

“Ceci n’est pas un bandicoot!” Outstanding!

Doofus and the Duck present, in recognition of the 56 deaths in this country (Australia) today from The Pandemic and in sympathy to The Company’s founder for being one of the 54,868 new cases reported today, their tableau of a work by 17th century Dutch Golden Age genre-painting master Jan Havickszoon Steen, entitled “The Sick Woman (c. 1660),” starring The ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Maria van Gelder, A Woman Sick with the Dreaded Lurgie

Once again The Company has shown us just how well they can perform genre painting, of which Steen is undoubtedly the master. Bravo!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of Internation No Diet Day and in recognition of the on-going case of the Dreaded Lurgie within the ranks of The Company’s management ranks (plus also the fabulous food that has been shared during this time!), their tableau of a work by an anonymous manuscript illustrator from an illumination in Ms. Ludwig VIII 3 (83.MK.94), fol. 43, entitled “A Woman Feeding a Leper in Bed (1275–1300),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as A Leperous, yet happy, Sod; and also starring Shaun the Sheep as A Contented Woman

A lovely and touching tableau, beautifully enacted by two of the Company’s finest. Well done!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of both World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day and the 269th anniversary of the birth of Don Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla, the Father of the Mexican Nation, their tableau of one of the last (unfinished) works by 20th century Mexican artist Magdalena Carmen Frida Kahlo y Calderón, entitled “Marxism Will Give Health to the Sick (1954),” starring Shaun the Sheep as The Indomitable Philosopher Karl Marx; and featuring the Purple Hippo as The Apotheosis of Criminal Yankee Capitalism; and introducing The Little Penguin as The Dove of Peace

Another outstanding ensemble piece from the Company of a rather odd, though interesting, work from Frida Kahlo. She states this work brought her peace and so it is for us, with the Doofus providing the axis of calm that allows chaos around to make sense. Magnificent.

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest taking place in Turino, and as part of their on-going occasional series of Iconic Silver Screen Moments, their tableau of a scene from the David Dobkin/Will Ferrell movie “Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga,” entitled “Iceland’s Semifinal Song: Double Trouble (2020),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Will Ferrell playing Icelandic Dreamer Lars Erickssong

Amazing production values from the Company, but will it be good enough to pull off the win? Hard to say!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest taking place in Turino and in recogition of the many joys this contest brought millions of people around the world, their pastiche of a song performed by the hosts of the Eurovision 2016 Edition (Petra Mede and the previous year’s winner Måns Zelmerlöw) in Stockholm depicting the many elements that make for the perfect Eurovision song, entitled “Love Love Peace Peace (2016),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Ukranian Guy Stuck in a Hamster Wheel (2014) and Shaun the Sheep as The Russian Guy on Rollerskates (2008); and featuring the Purple Hippo as A Slavic (Polish) Milkmaid (2014); the Little People as The Singing Yayas (2012); China Baby as the Norwegian Fiddler (2009); the Small Gargoyle as The Pianist with a Firey Piano (2015); and the Little Blue Men as Bare-chested Drummers (2013).

Please tell me when it is all over…

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour World Bee Day and in commemoration of the current performance of Richard Wagner’s majestic work “Lohengrin” by the Australian Opera Company, their tableau of a work by British 19th century Arts and Crafts Movement artist and illustrator Walter Crane, entitled “Lohengrin (1895),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Mighty and Modest Hero, Lohengrin, son of Parsifal; and featuring the Little Penguin as The Swan Tug

A beautifully subversive interpretation of a rather trite work from a master illustrator (who was much better when he left his Pre-Raphaelite sensibilities at the door of his studio). Bravo!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the recent commemoration of the International Day of United Nations Peacekeepers and in memory of the 244th anniversary of the death of the Great Philosph François-Marie Arouet (known as Voltaire), their tableau of a Grand Work by the 18th Century Venetian master Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, entitled “The Banquet of Cleopatra (1744),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Cleopatra VII Philopator, Queen of the Ptolemaic Kingdom of Egypt, and Shaun the Sheep as The Tragic Roman General, Marcus Antonius; and featuring the Purple Hippo as A Funny Little Fellow, and The Little Blue Men as Random Background Venetian People

A delightful interpretation of an enormous Rococo work by one of the masters of the form. The actors are on form, the set elaborate, and it is good to see some new Company members performing for the time. A tricky, elegant work very well done!

June 2022

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of both International Children’s Day and International Saxophone Appreciation Day and in commemoration of the birthday of one of the Company’s founders, their tableau of a work by famed American painter and illustrator Norman Percevel Rockwell for the cover of 2 November 1929 issue of “The Saturday Evening Post,” entitled “Jazz it Up with a Sax (1929),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as A Fellow Seriously Considering a Career Change

We all need a good laugh and the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot is clearly the actor for the job! Excellent!

Doofus and the Duck present, in the honour of International Day of Innocent Children Victims of Aggression and in commemoration of the 239th anniversary of the Montgolfier brothers publicly demonstrating their hot air balloon, their tableau of a work by currently working American pop culture artist Jeffrey Lynn Koons, entitled “Cat on a Clothesline (1994-2001),” starring Shaun the Sheep as A Very Cute Kitty Cat

A sweet delight from Mr the Sheep. Fantastic!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their on-going series of iconic movie posters and in honour of the recent 100th anniversary of the birth of Hollywood legend Frances Ethel Gumm known professionally as Judy Garland, their tableau of the theatrical release poster for the 1998 60th anniversary digitally-remastered Special Edition of the Victor Fleming directed movie based on the L Frank Baum story, entitled “The Wizard of Oz (1939),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Dorothy Gale, a Little Lost Girl from Kansas, and Shaun the Sheep as The Brainless Scarecrow; and featuring the Purple Hippo and the Little Sheep as Those Lovable Scalliwags, The Munchkins; China Baby as Miss Gulch (the Wicked Witch of the West); the Little Blue Men as The Weird Flying Monkeys; and introducing the Little Possum as The Cowardly Lion, and the Tiny Ceramic Quoll as Toto the Dog

Another bright, fabulous ensemble piece in which the true stars are the set designers and the costume department. Wonderful! And a fun to see some new members of The Company making their debut.

Doofus and the Duck present, in commemoration of the 443rd anniversary of the English privateer/pirate Sir Francis Drake’s claiming the land he called Nova Albion, home to the Coast Miwok people of modern day Sonoma County, for England and Elizabeth, and as part of their on-going series of solo works, their tableau of a work by French Rococo master Jean-Antoine Watteau, entitled “Mezzetin (c.1718-1720),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as the famed commedia dell’arte actor, Romeo Cozzitano, playing the love-lost fool, Mezzetin; and introducing the Little Notre Dame Gargoyle as The Statue of the Nadir of Love

Simple and delightful with superb acting from the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot. Brilliant!