Editing Jester (section)

===End of tradition===
After the [[Stuart Restoration|Restoration]], [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] did not reinstate the tradition of the court jester, but he did greatly patronise the theatre and proto-[[music hall]] entertainments, especially favouring the work of [[Thomas Killigrew]]. Though Killigrew was not officially a jester, [[Samuel Pepys]] in his famous diary does call Killigrew "The King's fool and jester, with the power to mock and revile even the most prominent without penalty" (12 February 1668).

In the 18th century, jesters had died out except in [[Russia]], [[Spain]], and [[Germany]]. In [[France]] and [[Italy]], travelling groups of jesters performed plays featuring stylised characters in a form of theatre called the ''[[commedia dell'arte]]''. A version of this passed into [[United Kingdom|British]] [[Folklore|folk tradition]] in the form of a [[puppet]] show, ''[[Punch and Judy]]''. In France the tradition of the court jester ended with the abolition of the monarchy in the [[French Revolution]].

In 2015, the town of [[Conwy]] in [[North Wales]] appointed Russel Erwood (aka Erwyd le Fol) as the official resident jester of the town and its people, a post that had been vacant since 1295.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/welsh-town-appoints-official-jester-700-years-article-1.2316415|title=Welsh town appoints first official jester in 700 years|newspaper=NY Daily News|access-date=2016-10-14|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011214815/http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/welsh-town-appoints-official-jester-700-years-article-1.2316415|archive-date=2018-10-11}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/russel-erwood-town-jester-conwy-9814519|title=This official town jester can balance a flaming barbecue on his head..!|last=Day|first=Liz|date=2015-08-08|newspaper=walesonline|access-date=2016-10-14}}</ref>