alex the jester
Quickly you lose yourself in Alex’s quirky world and join those around you in this interactive show
While most comedy engages the language center of our brain, Alex’s visual humor, sight gags, and light-hearted music bypasses the head altogether and goes straight to the heart.
Alex’s interest at connecting beyond words started as an eleven year old collector of National Geographic magazines. With his earnings as a paperboy, he bought back issues at 10¢ apiece. He was fascinated with the stories of exotic cultures in far-off lands. He started college as an anthropology major, but when he saw how few laughs that got, he dropped out. Besides, money was tight at home, and he desired to pursue something more practical: stage clowning. For months, he worked the Alaskan canneries, which paid generous overtime, and eventually saved enough for the professional training program at The Dell Arte School of Mime and Comedy.
It was here that he was introduced to the magic of communicating without words. But while he learned mime and circus skills there, don’t expect a painted white face who has taken a vow of silence. In fact, he’s an expert at using all the dynamics and richness of human voice. He doesn’t just use words that you’ve heard before.
He speaks Grammelot, which involves gibberish and made-up sounds.
Feldman’s love of music, comedy, cirque, magic and a touch of mischief ultimately gave birth to the impish rascal that audiences worldwide have come to know and love as Alex the Jester.
While most humor is enjoyed by a specific region and works for a certain group or demographic, Alex is entranced with finding the similarity between cultures. He is obsessed with exploring that sliver of humor that is funny to both the young and young at-heart. Everyone can relate to the heartbreak of feeling unloved, the pride of doing the impossible or the red face you get from an epic fail. He is a magician at conveying emotion through his face and body and sharing what we all have in common. The U.S. State Department recognized the cultural significance of his work, and sponsored a goodwill tour of Russia, including theaters in Moscow and orphanages in Siberia. Public Radio International described Alex the Jester as a cultural ambassador.