Alex the Jester
Encyclopedia
Biography
Feldman performs under the stage name "Alex the Jester" in the style of a medieval court jester, a tradition which combines music, juggling, prop comedyProp comedy
Prop comedy is a comedy genre that makes use of humorous objects, or conventional objects used in humorous ways. The stage and film term "prop", an abbreviation of "property", refers to any object handled by an actor in the course of a performance. Although some form of prop comedy has likely...
and stage magic. While performing at the Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs
Just for Laughs is a comedy festival held each July in Montreal, Quebec, founded in 1983. It is the largest international comedy festival in the world.- Information :...
international comedy festival in Montreal, Canada, Feldman began speaking a contemporary version of the medieval gibberish language Grammelot
Grammelot
Grammelot is a term for a style of language in satirical theatre, a gibberish with macaronic and onomatopoeic elements, used in association with pantomime and mimicry....
as part of his act. The use of Grammelot
Grammelot
Grammelot is a term for a style of language in satirical theatre, a gibberish with macaronic and onomatopoeic elements, used in association with pantomime and mimicry....
cuts through language barriors.
In Nov of 2009, Feldman was selected by the US State Department to entertain in Russia as a cultural ambassador. He has also toured the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Belgium, Bermuda, Japan and Mexico. Feldman currently lives in Somerville, Massachusetts and is married with two children, Desi, and A.J. Keaton
Training
Feldman studied performance at the Dell'Arte International School of Physical Theater in California.Performance Philosophy
Feldman wrote that, "Audiences care less about what you do. They care more about who you are." Feldman's use of physical comedyPhysical comedy
Physical comedy, also known as slapstick, is a comedic performance relying mostly on the use of the body to convey humour.Physical comedy, whether conveyed by a pratfall , a silly face, or the action of walking into walls, is a common and rarely subtle form of comedy...
to develop his character has been slowly built through a trial and error process.