Hi, we’ve set up this fundraiser as a way to pass the very final hat after the untimely death of possibly the most unique and famous street performer, jester and Fool there ever was.

Raised in Melbourne, Australia, but deeply adored all over the world by festival audiences, artists, musicians, fellow clowns and street performers, we are raising money to cover all the costs associated with his recent untimely death in Los Angeles.

Sean Goodfellow as a kid and teen, then Rumpelstiltskin, or Rumpel, as a performer, busker and artist, and eventually, on his passport, Jolly Goodfellow as a planetary citizen and worldly Fool.

All funds raised will go directly via his sister Antonia and family, and be used to wrap up all Rumpel’s unfinished business, to resolve, return and house (or re-house) his endless stashes of props, fabulous costumes, musical instruments, drawings, and incredible documentation, and of course to bring his remains back home to Australia. Funds will also be used to cover the costs to his family of resolving all the complicated legal issues associated with a person who traveled the entire globe, was struggling with a debilitating health condition, and who passed away in a foreign country. Plus the costs incurred by some dear loyal friends as they supported him (and his gear) in the final year of his illness and on this final journey. And finally some of the costs of hosting an inclusive, joyous memorial gathering and service in his honour.

Rumpel was a pure artist and a lovely human. A visual artist, street performer, juggler and jester who sustained incredible, almost unbelievable, feats of stamina, remained almost permanently in character, performed highly skilled circus skills, music and absurd chaotic clowning, yet remained so humble, warm, self-effacing, and without ego while having time for seemingly everyone. Most topically, for this particular moment:

he was absolutely, completely, famously *terrible* at asking for money or ‘passing the hat’. :) He so often gifted his art to audiences essentially for free…

…So we, his friends, family, colleagues, audience members, loyal assistants, lift givers, couch owners, food sharers, fellow travellers and performers from all across the globe, here and now, are passing one. last. giant. hat, on Jolly Goodfellow’s behalf, amongst ourselves, at this end of his very last, decades-long, world-record-breaking in-character durational show.

How weary he must have been. Finally sated. Rest easy now ya GoooOOSe!

Please give what you can, if you can afford it: the cost of a refreshing drink from the bar, or the price of your favourite meal, or if you’ve got it, maybe the going rate for a comfy hotel room for a night or two, or even the cost of a mainstage theatre seat, or stadium concert tickets,…

… if you can’t afford much, no worries of course, just give what you can, but regardless, come up and say g’day. Rumpel would have genuinely loved that.

Thanks in advance, ya Champions!!