PLANNING THE SHOW
HYPNOTISM AS ENTERTAINMENT
Having successfully completed the material in the preceding chapters, you are now ready to enter the final stage in your development as a stage hypnotist. This is where all of the hard work pays off and the fun begins–the point where you start planning your show.
The tests you practiced in the last chapter illustrated the full range of phenomena used for stage hypnosis. By now, you should be fairly skilled in hypnotizing and successfully influencing subjects in both light and deep hypnotic trances. However, just hypnotizing a few subjects and performing a series of unrelated hypnotic tests does not a stage show make! Stage hypnosis is a form of entertainment and as such there are certain basic elements involved in putting together a show that people will not only want to see–but pay to see.
Like any other type of show, hypnotic shows have a beginning, a middle and and end. As the old vaudeville saying goes, “Open and close and put something interesting in the middle.”
OPENING THE SHOW
The opening of a hypnotic show serves three very important functions:
1) It gets and holds the audience’s attention.
2) It establishes the hypnotist’s prestige and faith in his abilities by the audience.
3) It gets the audience excited about either participating in, or watching, the
show.
With the possible exception of TV game shows, stage hypnosis is the only field of show business which relies on its audience members to provide the entertainment. Therein lies its strength and its weakness. To have a good show, you need good subjects. And to get good subjects, you need lots of highly motivated volunteers to choose from at the beginning of your show. If you don’t, you’re going to have a long evening. So what should you do. Well, what you shouldn’t do is go into a protracted monologue about the powers of hypnosis. Your demonstrations will do that. Keep your opening introduction brief and to the point. Use music, lighting, and all of the elements of stagecraft to heighten anticipation before the show even starts. Let’s imagine we are taking our seat in the audience for a moment. The curtains are closed, the house lights dim, and suddenly the music begins–it’s an orchestral march. Our anticipation heightens as the music slowly builds until it reaches a rousing crescendo. The curtains now part to reveal two chairs in front with several rows of neatly-spaced chairs behind. A spotlight appears and a well-dressed, self-assured man briskly walks out to center stage. He bows and nods to the audience. “Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, we are going to explore the amazing powers of hypnosis. Powers which reside within each and every one of us. My role is simply that of humble guide for this adventure. A trip that will help us reveal a some of the many mysteries of the human mind. I hope you will enjoy it.” From the wings, a young woman with a bright red dress and two men in black, walk out and stand quietly and expressionless behind the hypnotist. At first, he appears not to notice them. Slowly he turns his head and looks back at the trio. Then, he looks forward again and just smiles. “But first, my dear friends, a brief demonstration of the marvels of which I speak.” The young woman is now standing at the hypnotist’s side with one of the men in black standing behind her. The hypnotist raises his hand to the woman’s
forehead and gazes directly into her eyes. “Go to sleep now. Go deep, deep asleep. Your eyes are getting too heavy to keep open, they are beginning to close. Close your eyes and sleep.” Her eyelids flutter momentarily and close. “Your entire body is becoming completely rigid. Every muscle is tightening. Your body is now completely stiff and rigid, like a solid bar of steel.” At this point, with the help of the two men, the woman is now suspended between two chairs–her shoulders at one end and her ankles at the other. Her body remains perfectly rigid. “This young lady, who I fully hypnotized before the show, is now in a deep cataleptic state. And so, here she could remain–her body completely rigid–for hours on end. But we shall not leave her here this evening. We have an important show to do.” The woman is then taken off of the chairs, placed upright and awakened by the hypnotist. She departs with the men in black who remove the two chairs just used. “If you would like to test your own ability to enter hypnosis, close your eyes. Make sure both feet are flat on the floor and you are seated comfortably. Now place both arms out in front of you with your palms down. A balloon filled with helium is attached to your right wrist. It’s pulling your right arm up. It’s rising up, higher, higher, higher. Your left wrist, however, has a very heavy weight attached to it. The weight is pulling your left arm down, down, down. Open your eyes now and don’t move your arms.” The hypnotist surveys the audience. “Well, it looks as though we have a lot of volunteers for tonight’s show!” The audience laughs. “But seriously, what you just participated in was a genuine test for hypnosis. If your right arm was up in the air and your left arm was down at your side, you have passed with flying colors. If you’re at least college age or older and will be sincere in trying the experiments, you’re welcome to join us on stage. It’ll be lots of fun, so hurry on up. The more the merrier. Come on up.” After a moment, a legion of eager volunteers files on stage. So you have it, a look at a very strong and theatrical opening for a hypnotic stage show. It has music, drama, mystery, audience participation, and more. Plus, it achieves everything it is supposed to–it gets the audience’s attention and holds it, establishes the performer’s prestige, and it brings up prospective
subjects who have already demonstrated a level of susceptibility to suggestion. What more could you ask for. How you actually structure your opening is up to you. It should suit your own style of presentation and of course, the venue you are working in. Above all else, make it exciting.
SELECTING THE BEST SUBJECTS
As mentioned earlier, good subjects make for a good show. But what constitutes a good hypnotic subject. Young adults to middle-aged persons tend to make the best ones. They often have the highest level of energy and are more flexible and responsive than older people. In addition, you should look for people who are good natured and exhibit the ability to laugh easily at themselves without being show offs. Avoid lethargic or somber individuals, and seniors unless they are bright, fit and alert. Make sure to dismiss anyone high school age or younger right from the start. They will often be more than willing to perform any hypnotic feat suggested, however they will do little to enhance the quality of your show. It is far better to select adults who are well dressed, well groomed and articu- late. Service people, police officers, or others in uniform also make excellent subjects, as do local politicians or celebrities when available. The audience will be far more impressed by their responses, than those of subjects who might be considered less credible. Exactly how many subjects will you need to start. Get at least four to five times as many subjects as you will require for your committee, since most will NOT have the capacity to enter a deep hypnotic trance. Remember, you are SPECIFICALLY interested in subjects who are somnambulists or hypnotics. THINNING THE FIELD Assuming your opening has produced a stage full of eager volunteers and with the criteria just mentioned in mind, you can now begin the process of thinning the field. With a lot of volunteers, the easiest way to do this is to proceed to a rapid hypnotic induction and test to identify the most highly suggestible subjects in the group.
RAPID INDUCTION AND TESTING
The following technique is designed to rapidly induce hypnosis in the most susceptible subjects in the group. Give them some point to focus on, which is correctly positioned to produce eye strain. A stage light or other light is ideal. “Thank you for coming up. Obviously, there are more people than we can accommodate comfortably on stage, so we shall start with a brief test to find those with the best concentration. This varies from person to person, so if I ask you to return to your seat–please do not get offended. Let’s proceed. Please sit back in your chairs with both feet flat on the floor. Make sure you are comfortable.” Note: If you have more subjects than chairs, which sometimes happens. Have the subjects without chairs stand behind and hold the chair in front of them for support. In this case, you must use caution that a subject does not let go of the chair before he goes to sleep and falls. “Concentrate on my voice, listen only to my voice. Let all other noise and distractions fade away. Focus your eyes on the light in front of you. Look steadily at the light. Now I want you to think about relaxing every muscle in your body. First, relax your toes and feet. Every muscle is becoming completely and totally relaxed. Moving up to your legs, now your calf and thigh muscles are relaxing. As you take in a deep breath and slowly exhale, your chest and stomach muscles are relaxing. Now down each arm all the way to your fingertips, every muscle is relaxing. All of the tension in your neck muscles and head is now is draining away and relaxation is flowing through every fiber of your being. You feel light, relaxed and totally at ease, and you are listening only to the sound of my voice. Nothing else matters, just my voice. Any other sound just makes you concentrate more intently on my voice.” “With each and every breath you take, you are growing more and more relaxed, more and more at ease. Your eyes are beginning to get heavy, very, very heavy. On the count of three, close your eyes and keep them closed tightly together. One. Two Three. Close your eyes. With your eyes closed, you can rest now and go deep, deep asleep. You are so very, very tired. It will feel good to go to sleep. Go to sleep now, go deep asleep.”
“Concentrate on your eyes. Your eye lids are closed tightly together, so tightly you cannot open them. They are stuck shut and you cannot open them no matter how hard you try. Try to open your eyes, you cannot. They are shut tightly together.” You’ll recognize the Eyes Wide Shut test from Chapter Two. This rapid induction technique and test should help you eliminate the vast majority of the volunteers who do not have somnambulistic tendencies. Scan the group carefully and begin dismissing any subjects whose eyes are open or who have a smile or smirk on their face. Just tap them on the shoulder and ask them to quietly return to their seats in the audience, so as not to disturb the other subjects sleeping on stage. At this point, make sure to remove the suggestion but have the subjects keep their eyes closed. If need be, you can now perform additional elimination tests until you reach the desired number of subjects for your committee. Obviously, if your invitation for volunteers was less than fruitful, you cannot be as discerning in this selection process.
AN ALTERNATIVE APPROACH
It is not necessary to begin with a rapid induction. Some performers start off by putting different groups of subjects each through their own elimination test while still in the waking state. Those who fail are dismissed, while those who respond are kept. If the group is still too large, the hypnotist may use another test to thin out the responsive subjects even further. The choice is yours. Structure your show in the way that suits you and your performance conditions best. In either case, the end result is the same–you will have identified the most suggestible subjects in the group and dismissed the rest.
HANDLING THE COMMITTEE
At this point, make sure to separate any friends or couples who came up together. You can do this by rearranging their seating positions. The seating order should always be stranger next to stranger. Otherwise you run the risk of an ongoing disruption during your performance.
ODD AND EVEN SUBJECTS
One of the most effective tools for managing subjects for various routines on stage is to assign a number to each at the beginning of the show. It’s the same technique physical education teachers often employ when picking sides for sports. Each subject counts off in order…one, two, three, four, etc. This number makes it easy for the hypnotist to identify and manage each subject. He can simply say, “Subject three will do so and so.” In addition to helping handle subjects individually, they can also be divided into odd and even groups. In this way, routines can be performed where odd subjects are given one suggestion, and even subjects an opposing one–such as odd subjects get hot and even ones get cold. You can imagine the tremendous potential of such a device.
BUILDING AN INTERESTING MIDDLE
The middle of the hypnotic show is comprised of routines. In a routine, subjects under hypnosis are placed in various dramatic situations. It is these situations which are the essence of hypnotic entertainment. For example, in one classic sketch, a group of subjects is told they are all attending a party. Each is given a glass of ordinary water. However, they are told the liquid in their glasses is straight gin or vodka. The resulting actions and interactions are both hilarious and compelling, as the subjects grow more and more intoxicated drinking ordinary tap water. This routine, by itself, is strong enough to stand alone. However some hypnotists get even more out of it by expanding on the premise. They start by having a male subject attempt to fill the glasses from a pitcher. However, before the subject tries to lift it, he is told the pitcher weighs over one thousand pounds. A grimace crosses over his face as he struggles and is unable to lift it. A second male subject is brought forward to help. He has no problem lifting the pitcher but–thanks to the hypnotist’s suggestion–every time he tries to pour, his hand shakes so badly he can’t get the liquid in the glasses! Finally, a third male subject is able to fill all of the glasses seemingly without a hitch–until he tries to set down the pitcher and finds his hand is now stuck to the handle. By combining all of these effects into a single story line, the dramatic tension builds and they become far more effective than if performed alone.
In a smoothly running show–every routine, effect and moment flows into the next. And even though the material may be varied, there is continuity. The audience gets to know the subjects and their unique personalities, much like the characters in a play. However, it is a play in which the plot is constantly changing around the actors, which makes it all the more captivating to watch.
THE STANDARDS
The best way to develop your own material is to see what others have done in the past. What follows are some standard routines which have been used successfully in hypnotic stage shows around the world. Much of this material has been around in some form or another for many decades. While it is constantly being updated to meet contemporary trends, the underlying premises, as well as the subject actions and interactions they produce, remain timeless. The description for each routine is designed to provide you with a general framework. The final scripting, staging and presentation is up to you. No one can do this for you. You must take this material, adapt to your own style of presentation, and then refine it through performance after performance for real people. Every word, every movement, every gesture, along with the stagecraft of positioning the subjects, blocking, lighting, and music, etc., must all be worked out in advance. A true professional leaves nothing to chance. Starting on the next page, you’ll find over two dozen, audience-tested routines in no particular order. Some use one or two subjects, while others use half or all of the committee. It will be assumed that all of these effects are to be performed while the subjects are in a hypnotic trance, unless the routine specifies it is to be carried out, posthypnotically.
DRUNK ON WATER
Several subjects are told they are at a party. Each is given a glass of water, which they are told is straight gin or vodka.The effects and interactions are hilarious as the subjects grow increasingly intoxicated drinking tap water. X-RAY SPECS A male subject is given a pair of novelty store eye glasses (without lenses) to wear. He is told to close his eyes and when he reopens them–the glasses will enable him to see right through everyone’s clothing. Everyone he looks at will appear completely naked. This routine will have your audience rolling in the aisles with laughter, though it may not be appropriate for all age groups. Use your discretion.
HOT SEAT
As a posthypnotic suggestion, a subject is told that a minute after awaken- ing, the seat of her chair will begin to get hotter and hotter-until it’s so hot the subject is forced to jump off of it. This routine can also be performed while the subject is “under.”
HOT FOOT
Here’s another posthypnotic suggestion with a similar premise to the last routine, Hot Seat. Only in this instance, instead of the chair, the subject is told his or her right shoe will get so hot, the person will not be able to keep it on. This one can also be worked simultaneously with a group of subjects
HELLO EARTHLINGS A subject is told he has just come to Earth from Mars and only speaks the Martian language. A second subject is asked to intercede as an interpreter. The hypnotist proceeds to ask a series of questions which are answered in a language of gibberish–seemingly incomprehensible to all except the two subjects. A truly fascinating demonstration of the resourcefulness of the human imagination.
THE FOREIGNER
Same idea as the last routine, Hello Earthlings. Except this time, the subject is a person from France and doesn’t understand or speak a word of English.
SWEEP HER OFF HER FEET
A male subject is handed a broom and told it is a beautiful girl who would like to dance with him. After he dances across the stage with “her,” you take the broom back and he waves goodbye to her. STRONG MAN A petite female subject is told she’s at the health club. She is given a broom and told it’s a lightweight, five-pound barbell. She proceeds to lift and curl the barbells with ease. After she puts them down, a male subject who has been told the same “barbells” weigh 200 pounds, comes over and struggles to lift them.
ELVIS LIVES!
A subject is told he is Elvis Presley and proceeds to sing a song like the “King.”
CAN’T TEAR IT
A subject or group of subjects are each a given sheet of paper and told no one will be able to tear it, no matter how hard they try.
SHOW ME THE MONEY
While still under hypnosis, a subject is given a wad of (stage) money. He is informed there are some pickpockets around and for safekeeping, he should hide the bills in his shoes. His memory of this event is erased and he is awakened. When the subject is asked what he has in his shoes, he is astonished to find all of the stage money there!
THE HORSE RACE
A subject is told he is a winning jockey. With a backwards chair for a horse, the subject rides in the big race. The hypnotist serves as the race track announcer and calls the action.
MICE ON THE FLOOR
A group of subjects are told there are mice running across the floor in every direction. The reactions of the ladies and even some of the men, is hilarious. Some will even climb on chairs to get away! In days gone by, a swarm of bees was suggested which created an even more intense but distressful situation. It is not recommended.
WHO’S YOUR DADDY.
A female subject is handed a rag doll and told it’s a real baby who needs its father in the audience. After finding him, she is to return to the stage. She is told she’ll be able to recognize the father, because he has the same eyes as the baby. The subject will register genuine concern and go from man to man in the audience–staring directly into the eyes of each. Finally, when she finds one whose eyes match the baby’s, she’ll smile with delight and hand him the doll.
TOP GUN
A male subject is told his chair is the cockpit of a fighter jet and he is about to take off from a carrier deck in pursuit of an enemy plane. He is handed a carrot which he is told is the plane’s control stick. The plane is launched and the subject maneuvers his plane through the sky as he is locked in a dogfight with the enemy.
GOODFELLAS AND GOODGALS
A group of subjects are told they are gangsters in the mafia and they are meeting the new head of the family for the first time. The new boss is one of the female subjects, who the rest of the group is told they must address respectfully as the “Godmother.” They are told they are upset with her, because the Godmother wants to improve the mob’s image by having everyone wear more understated, preppy attire. She also plans on replacing the traditional heavy pasta meals with lighter, low fat salads.
FOUNTAIN OF YOUTH
A group of older subjects are told that scientists have discovered the fountain of youth. Each is given a glass of water to drink and told that every sip will make them feel younger and younger. Ongoing suggestions by the hypnotist help guide the transformations taking place in the subjects. Likewise, in the same manner, younger subjects can be made to grow older and older. If there is an equitable division of old and young subjects on stage, these two feats can be performed concurrently to amazing effect.
CAN’T LET GO
One or more subjects are each given a tennis ball or other small object to hold. They are then informed it is covered with glue and they cannot let go.
TOO HOT TO HANDLE
Same set up as the last routine, Can’t Let Go. Use this one alone or as a follow up. This time, the subjects are told the ball is getting hotter and hotter. When it gets too hot, the subjects have to let go. Obviously, if you use something other than a tennis ball, make sure it’s not sharp or breakable.
BAD TIE
A female subject is given the posthypnotic suggestion that when awakened, she will criticize the obnoxious necktie her husband sitting next to her is wearing. She does this right on cue, except the man she tells off is not her husband at all–but a perfect stranger!
SPACE SHUTTLE
A group of subjects sitting in their chairs are told they are astronauts taking a trip in the space shuttle. You can even have one subject flying the ship, using a paper plate as a steering wheel, and another who space walks with the help of the others on-board–a piece of rope serving as the tether line. Routines of this type need ongoing narration (ie. specific suggestion) by the hypnotist, such as you’re taking off, you’re leaving our atmosphere and entering space, everyone is now weightless, look out for that asteroid, etc.
ASLEEP IN THE AUDIENCE
A male subject is given a posthypnotic suggestion that when awakened, he will jump from his chair and return to his seat in the audience–where he will immediately fall back into a very deep sleep. After the subject does this, your assistants are sent into the audience to get him. They lift him under the arms and carry him back to his chair on stage. He stays asleep the whole way!
STORMY WEATHER
A group of subjects are told they are on a wilderness expedition in the great outdoors. First the sun comes out and it gets very, very hot. The subjects begin getting very warm, sometimes even removing articles of clothing. Next, they are told the sun has moved behind some storm clouds. The sky is getting very dark and it starts to rain. The downpour gets heavier and heavier. The subjects react as if they are getting drenched and begin scrambling for cover. The rain starts to subside, but the wind is picking up now. It’s a very chilling wind and everyone feels cold and wet. Finally, the sun comes back out and dries their clothes. The temperature is perfect now and there is a warm soothing breeze in the air. The routine ends with the subjects feeling completely comfortable.
STUCK ON YOU
As the hypnotist passes by each subject in a row, he “sticks” different parts of their bodies together. He places one subject’s thumb on his or her forehead. On another, the palm is stuck to a person’s knee or top of the his or her head, etc. Each struggles in vain to get free until the suggestion is removed.
THE PICKUP
A female subject is told she is an obnoxious, “lounge lizard” type of guy in a nite club. Two male subjects are told they are both beautiful young woman just out for a quiet drink at the same club. “Mr. Macho” now tries to pick up the “girls.” The role reversal and ensuing banter is always comical.
THE RELUCTANT SMOKER
A subject is given a posthypnotic suggestion that when he awakens and lights a cigarette, it will taste like burning rubber. The subject takes a drag and begins coughing at the foul taste. Other suggestions for smokers include telling them they won’t be able to put the cigarette in their mouth correctly or won’t be able to light it.
CAN’T PICK UP MONEY
A quarter or other coin is placed on the floor and a subject is told he will be unable to pick it up. WHO AM I. A group of subjects are told they cannot remember their own names.
I KNEW I FORGOT SOMETHING
As a posthypnotic suggestion, a male subject is told that after he awakens and you snap your fingers once–he’ll suddenly realize that he forgot to put any clothes on this morning and he’ll be sitting there completely naked. When you snap your fingers twice, he will be fully clothed. This is a tremendously entertaining bit when used with the right subject (someone who is good natured with high self esteem) for the right audience (adult crowd). For a variation, you can allow the subject to return to his seat in the audience before you snap your fingers. If necessary, you can walk into the audience to “cue” him. Just make sure to direct him back toward the stage, not the exit, when he makes a mad dash.
THE INVISIBLE HYPNOTIST
This routine is a very powerful demonstration of the fascinating effects of negative hallucination. Instead of seeing something which is not there, as in (positive) hypnotic hallucination, the subject DOES NOT SEE something which really exists. This can be the hypnotist, the subject’s friend or spouse, or any other tangible item. The subject is told that when her eyes are opened, she will be able to hear and feel the hypnotist–but not see him. He will be completely invisible. The hypnotist is able to move around the subject and speak, clap his hands, etc., but the subject cannot see him. The subject follows the noise at the moment it occurs, but clearly cannot see the hypnotist. The hypnotist even waves his hands in front of the subject’s face with no reaction at all. Then, the subject is told when the hypnotist snaps his fingers by her ear, he will instantly be visible again. He does so and the subject is clearly startled to see the hypnotist reappear out of thin air.
BREAKING FOR INTERMISSION
At some point during the hypnotic routines of a full evening show, there will be a brief period for intermission. Most hypnotists handle this by giving the committee a posthypnotic suggestion that they will return to their same seats on stage after the intermission upon receiving a pre-specified cue. This can be a piece of music, like a certain overture, a signal by the hypnotist, or another device, such as the audience’s applause. Imagine everyone returning to their seats in the audience, including the subjects. The hypnotist who stands alone on the stage asks, “So have you enjoyed the show so far. If so, please put your hands together for all of the terrific and talented volunteers we have helping us tonight.” The applause then triggers the posthypnotic effect. Seeing all of the subjects return to the stage on command, as it were, is an impressive feat in itself.
CLOSING THE SHOW
Ending on a high note is just as important as getting your show off to the right start. You need a climax that will leave a strong impression, since your audience will remember best what they saw last. For this reason, many hypnotists choose a posthypnotic effect as a finale. Whatever effect you choose, you should always use your best subjects– those who emerged as the stars of the show. This will help remind the audience of some of the special moments during the evening, as well as help assure a good result when it’s needed most. One very effective approach is to allow all of the subjects to return to their seats, as if the show is over. Then, on cue, the specified subjects begin carrying out the suggestions–either by returning to the stage or while still in the audience. Here’s just one example. A posthypnotic suggestion is given to a subject that after returning to his seat, on your signal, he will be a zoo keeper who has just learned that one of the chimpanzees has escaped and was last spotted running around loose on the stage. It is the subject’s job to try and catch the elusive monkey. The hilarious nature of the ensuing action of this subject chasing after an invisible primate should be obvious and it is just one way you can add an exclamation point to your performance.
LET YOUR SUBJECTS TAKE THE BOWS
As covered earlier in this guide, remember to let your subjects take the bows. Make them the stars of your show and you will be rewarded handsomely in return. In addition, always try to position yourself so the audience has an unobstructed view of the subjects in action. Whenever possible, have the subjects directly face the audience and never stand in front of them with your back to the audience.
TERMINATING POSTHYPNOTIC EFFECTS
Every hypnotist uses some device to terminate the effects of all posthyp- notic suggestions in his subjects at the end of the show. The great Ormond McGill recommends a whistle. While this may sound a bit abrasive, it is a very effective way of assuring that the signal can be heard above the din of background audience noise.
STAGE EQUIPMENT/CONSIDERATIONS
The equipment requirements of the hypnotic show are few, however the professional hypnotist must be prepared to supply whatever is required. This includes folding chairs, a small folding table, props, a rug (if the subjects will be laying or crawling on the stage), and a portable PA system with tape deck and microphone. Lighting and stage conditions will vary with the venue and may range from a formal stage with proper lighting and curtains to a raised platform in a school auditorium with no backstage area–some performers carry their own portable backdrops for this reason. Be prepared to adjust to the conditions you encounter. If available, use low lighting with blue gels for the initial induction of the subjects. It will aid in the concentration of the subjects on stage and make it difficult for the audience to see any sarcastic facial expressions by the non-hypnotics in the group. Bright stage lights will inhibit the subjects and their ability to concentrate on the induction process, so at the very least turn the stage lights down. Afterward, they can be gradually brought back up. Stage conditions and personnel permitting, a “baby” spotlight can be used to highlight the performer’s face even while the subjects are dimly lit and a front spot light used when the performer is facing the audience or to emphasize a demonstration with an individual subject. Music and sound effects add a great deal to any theatrical performance, including one in hypnosis. So take advantage of them whenever possible.
PERSONNEL REQUIREMENTS
One or two knowledgeable assistants go a long way in a hypnotic stage show. In addition, to setting up and moving chairs and props for routines, they can handle the music, lighting and PA system. Assistants are also invaluable for directing volunteers at the beginning of the show, as well as helping them leave the stage if dismissed. With the important behind-the-scenes functions in capable hands, the performer is free to concentrate on showmanship and presentation. The result is an effective and smooth running stage show.
CONFEDERATES AND PSEUDO-HYPNOTISM
In any serious guide on stage hypnosis, these topics need to be addressed. While neither has any real place in a full evening hypnotic show, you should be aware of how they operate.
Over the years, there have been poor stage hypnotists who have resorted to planting one or more shills in their group of subjects. These “subjects” are really actors and actresses who perform as if they were genuinely hypnotized. Needless to say, the accomplished professional should have no need for such tactics. While some shows do employ “paid” subjects for use in potentially dangerous feature effects, like suspending a subject between two chairs, these subjects are not passed off as members of the general public.
The same goes for tricks of so-called pseudo-hypnotism. Sometimes used by professional magicians, they resemble some minor effects of genuine hypno- sis. One of these tricks calls for a subject to close his or her eyes and with the eyes still closed, concentrate on looking upward. The performer then tells the subject, “You cannot open your eyes. Try to open your eyes.” The person tries and fails. The experiment, while similar in appearance to the Eyes Wide Shut test, works not because of the power of suggestion–but because it is physically impossible to open your eyes while looking up with them closed.
Still another method of hypnotic fakery is called “Cold Cuing.” Globe-trotting magician and illusionist, John Calvert, is an absolute master of this. During his regular stage show, Calvert will invite several men at random to come up from the audience. There is no real selection process. “Hypnosis” is induced in seconds and the men proceed to amuse the audience with an array of hypnotic antics. The phenomena appears to be related to muscular catalepsy and hypnotic control, but in reality is the result of direction Calvert gives to the subjects using a stage whisper. Calvert’s sheer presence and commanding showmanship help to assure that the subjects “go along” with his requests and have fun in the process of “putting one over on the audience.” It is only a brief segment during his show, but most in the audience walk away convinced they have witnessed genuine hypnotic phenomena.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Remember, as the old saying goes–it is not what you do, but how you do it. The greatest downfall of hypnotists starting out (and this applies equally to magicians, as well) is that they either fail to prepare adequately or they over reach in their choice of material. In either case, the result is the same–disaster, or at the very least, mediocrity.
The experienced performer, on the other hand, knows both his material and limitations. He selects material which is well within the scope of his ability and practices it until it becomes automatic. That’s why, when he walks out on stage, he exudes confidence.This puts his subjects and the audience at ease, since both know they are in capable hands. Your audience “wants” to believe in you and “wants” to be entertained. In fact, they’ve paid for the privilege. Unless you give them reason to doubt you, you cannot help but be a success.
