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 fourth year into 2023. This is the twenty-fifth instalment of works, the Company remaining at the height of their creative endeavours.

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

March 2023 (cont.)

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of 422nd anniversary of the English Astronomer William Herschel discovering the planet Uranus and in celebration of International Critically Endangered Animals Day, the tableau of a hunting scene/genre painting by the Flemish Baroque master, Sir Peter Paul Rubens, currently in the Alte Pinakothek, Munich, entitled “The Hippopotamus and Crocodile Hunt (1616),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Poor Fellow About to be Mauled by A Frightening Hippopotamus and Shaun the Sheep as The Dead Fellow; and featuring the Purple Hippo as The Mighty and Fearsome Hippopotamus; and introducing the Little Crocodile as the Very Scary Crocodile

One does wonder, at time like this, whether the Purple Hippo’s genius for comedy is innate or simply a product of being blithely unaware of quite what is going on around us. I guess we’ll never know. Heroic!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the 374th anniversary of the English House of Commons of passing an act abolishing the House of Lords, declaring it “useless and dangerous to the people of England,” and in celebration of the Company’s Founders’ newest furry family addition, their tableau of the title illustration (artist unknown) for a pamphlet printed for John Wright in the Old-Bailey, April 12, 1643, entitled “A True Relation of Prince Rvpert’s Barbarous Cruelly against the Towne of Brumingham, to which place on Monday Apr. 3, 1643,” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as the Noble and Accomplished Prince Rupert of the Rhine, Duke of Cumberland and featuring the Little Sheep as Boye, the Very Famous (and possibly magical) White Hunting Poodle

Simple and beautifully styled, this tableau brings a wonderful drama and energy to the somewhat stilted original. Outstanding!

Doofus and the Duck present, in celebration of the Recent State Election here in NSW won, for the first time in 12 years by the Labor Party, and commemoration of the 548th anniversary of the first English translation of Aesop’s Fables being printed (William Caxton), their tableau of a late work by the Netherlandish Renaissance Master Pieter Bruegel the Elder, entitled “The Parable of the Blind (1568),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as A Foolish Sight-Challenged Fellow; Shaun the Sheep as Ditto; and featuring the Purple Hippo as The Last in a Long Line of Blind Fellows.

Beautifully realised by the Creatives as well as the Actors. Stunning!

Doofus and the Duck present, in celebration of both the Christian Festival of Palm Sunday (and subsequently the beginning of Holy Week) and World Autism Awareness Day, their tableau of a work by French Baroque painter and master of religious chiaroscuro scenes Georges de La Tour, entitled “The Fortune Teller (c.1630),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Melville St. Pierre, a Feckless and Foolish, yet Wealth Youth; and Shaun the Sheep as The Itinerant Gypsy Fortuneteller; and featuring China Baby and The Tasmanian Devil as Opportunistic Thieves

Quite wonderfully done and it is great to see the Company return to one of their strong suits: the Baroque. The acting is first class and the Costuming Dept at the top of their game. Gorgeous!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the Western Christianity’s most Solemn Day, Good Friday, and in memory of all of those who have suffered and died for their beliefs down through the ages, their tableau of a controversial late work by the Spanish 20th century master, Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol, entitled “Christ of Saint John of the Cross (1951),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as St John of the Cross’s Vision of the Salvator Mundi, as Interpreted by Master Dali

Words can not suffice. Beautiful!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of the Western Christian Festival of Easter Sunday, the Day of the Risen Saviour, and in celebration of the coming of Springtime in the Northern Hemisphere, their tableau of a work by the Czech artist, illustrator and designer Alfons Maria Mucha from his Art Nouveau period, entitled “Easter Chimes Awaken Nature (1896)” featuring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Personification of Spring

A quirky, yet rather beautiful, take on one of Mucha’s odder works, in the sense that it was rather different from the much more commercial work he was doing at that time. The Company’s take is rather delicate and ethereal, as the work demands. Serene.

Doofus and the Duck present, in commemoration of World Voice Day and in general appreciation of the fabulous artworks of the signified painter that are unavailable to the Company, their tableau of (possibly) the most famous work by English Romantic master Joseph Mallord William Turner and voted, in 2005, “Britain’s Favourite Painting,” entitled “The Fighting Temeraire, tugged to her last berth to be broken up, 1838 (1838).”

What an outstanding and beautiful tableau! Exquisitely done!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their King Charles the Spaniel Third of His Name Coronation series and in honour of UNESCO’s International Jazz Day, their tableau of a relevant panel from the Bayeux Tapestry, created by unknown and unnamed masters of the weaving and embroidery crafts, entitled “Scene 30: The Coronation of Harold II (c. late 11th C),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Mighty Prelate, Record holder of Excommunications by Successive Popes (5), The Archbishop of Canterbury and Winchester, Advisor to Kings, the Holy Stigand; and Shaun the Sheep as Harold Godwinson, Last Anglo-Saxon King of Merry Ol’ England

An outstanding interpretation of this scene. Fantastic!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their King Charles the Spaniel Third of His Name Coronation series and in honour of International Quiche Appreciation Day, their tableau of a religious painting by the 17th century Flemish artist and art dealer Cornelis de Vos, entitled “The Anointing of Solomon by Zadok the Priest (1630),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as The Great, Mighty, and Wisest of Kings, Solomon the Temple Builder; and Shaun the Sheep as The Preeminent Prelate, Zadok, High Priest of Israel; and featuring the Purple Hippo and the Little Penguin as the Stripey Servants, and the Little Sheep as Toots the Horn Blower

A lovely rendition of one of the many many lesser works produced in the Low Countries around this time. Beautifully executed and apropos, one can but wonder what better work might have been attempted were it not for the occasion. We shall never know. Biblical!

Doofus and the Duck present, as part of their on-going occasional series of Iconic Movie Posters, and in recognition of the (currently on going) 67th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest hosted by Liverpool UK (after the actual winners, Ukraine, were unable to safely stage the event due to their War with Russia, the latter of who were subsequently uninvited by the Eurovision Organisers), their tableau of a theatrical release poster for the Bob Fosse directed version of the 1966 Joe Masteroff musical, entitled “Cabaret (1972),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as the Incomparable Liza Minelli in her iconic Academy Award winning role as the movie’s leading player, Sally Bowles

Quite breathtaking!

Doofus and the Duck present, in honour of World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development and in celebration of the 224th anniversary of the birth of English palaeontologist Mary Anning, their tableau of a late work by the tragically short-lived German Expressionist painter August Robert Ludwig Macke, entitled “The Promenade (1913),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Trudy Bertrand, a Pretty Woman with a Hat with a White Feather; and featuring the Purple Hippo and the Little Penguin as A Couple of Lads Enjoying the Day

A beautiful rendition of a wonderful work by a much neglected, not to mention underrated, modern painter. Superb!

Doofus and the Duck, in celebration of Pinchgut Opera’s current production of Giovanni Legrenzi’s 1680 masterpiece “Giustino” and the 210th anniversary of the German high opera composer Richard Wagner, their tableau of a mosaic, created by unknown (likely) Byzantine artists in the Hellenistic-Roman tradition, for the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna, entitled “The Emperor Justinian and His Court (547),” starring the ABC Interpretive Dance Bandicoot as Justinian the Great, Emperor of the Roman World, and Shaun the Sheep as Maximianus, Bishop of Ravenna; and featuring the Little People as Loyal Military Minions

A fascinating depiction of this wonderful mosaic that captures much of the lightness of the original, even if the proportions are somewhat more related to a later era of art. Excellent!