Jez Rose And Company

Ventriloquist

From as young as he can remember, Jez played around with voices bringing inanimate objects to life. His first connection with engaging puppetry is thanks to his father's involvement with the Jim Henson Company.

Jez's father moulded various puppets for large productions, such as The Muppets Take Manhattan, and would describe to Jez how they were made, only for him to then see them on television, seemingly alive and a far cry from the lumps of foam his father had just portrayed.

"I don't use the word ventriloquist because it's too prescriptive. Not only does it conjure up the wrong images for what I do, but my performance is about much more than me simply providing voices for the Company", says Jez, and rightly so.

It is quite apt, then, that Jez Rose & Company shares all of the universal appeal and attraction of the Henson creations, but with a very distinctive twist. His performance is an eclectic yet appealing blend of puppetry, comedy, visual and special effects, sound effects, even a few theatre tricks.

The silent sequence set to music between Jez and his dragon, Boo, is sensational. He has performed for and worked alongside the likes of Jackie Chan, Steve Coogan, The Darkness, Jonathan Ross, Sir Elton John and Madonna, but despite this celebrity involvement, I wanted to know what the response to his act was, at a more public level. "People love to see something new and different.

My audiences share the excitement of the elements I bring together, and see a part of themselves in each of the characters. The response really is great to see." In addition to being a psychological illusionist, Jez also owns the company Psychological Artistry, which provides illusion and magical effects in films, including Harry Potter III.