Cul de Sac by Richard Thompson for June 22, 2023

Is he still out of his body?

Pe-tey! Pe-tey! Pe-tey! Encore, encore!

If you believe it, it’s true.

This poor child needed a slip.

Alice is doing all these and taking in all the discomfort only to let his big brother play peacefully. It looks like her mission is successful.

Don’t fall off the stage.

Never seen Petey so calm, cool, and collected

She’s movin’, he’s groovin’.

The music references Zez Confrey’s “Dizzy Fingers” which is physically impossible to play on the oboe. I and my oboist father loved this strip.

I love the composition, the color, and the expressions on the audience members’ faces. Richard Thompson was indeed one of the greatest cartoonists of this century.

You can find an unbelievably fast version of Dizzy Fingers on YouTube played by the Beau Hunks Saxophone Quintet. It can be played on a saxophone, but not on an oboe.

Maybe Petey should play “Itchety Digits” instead…

Meanwhile grandma is passed out under the seat!

And another fine performance by our little Drama Diva! Let’s give her a round of applause as she’s rustled out of the Auditorium! ☺

Alice in itcyland…

Well, it’s fair to say that an Otterloop has the attention of the entire crowd!

This one NEVER gets old! Laugh-out-loud-in-public funny!

This one is all on Mom, she brought the dress home (again) and played it up to Alice. This is not the first time Alice has been itchy from a party dress.

Never have the haunting lines of Richard Thompson’s drawing rung out with such lyric power! He has the whole audience in the palm of his hand.

Go! Petey! Go!

Leave, Alice, Leave!

Who’s Russell? I knew a guy in high school with that name.

For the sake of all that’s holy, and Petey! Get brattish Alice out of the recital hall RIGHT NOW, Madeline! ASAP!

I am LOVING this story arc. Hilarious! Delightful.