Hi all,

I've been performing professionally for about 10 years and perform a stage act slanted towards mentalism. I do use inductions for a few of my mentalism pieces, but that's about it. I'd like to develop a full stage hypnosis act and I've a couple of questions. Nobody else here locally does a hypnosis show so it's tough to get advice. I'm asking these questions based on my understanding of the behaviour of local audiences here.

1) When doing the skits, do people sometimes give off vibes to the rest of the audience, that they're just "playing along" to make the show a success? You know, with the "ok ok, we all know I'm not really hypnotised but let's just play along and have some fun..." kind of look on their faces? I'd imagine that if that happened to me I'd feel the whole show to become lame for everyone present.

2) Would you all think that in more conservative cultures like my own, a hypnosis show would be tough to pull off? Is this just a belief?

3) With proper grounding in the techniques involved, does it take lots of guts to do your first show? I've watched clips of many hypnosis shows online and can't imagine audiences here doing those things.

4) Anywhere I can watch a full show online? From the selection to the inductions and the skits and closing?

I'd appreciate any help you guys can offer me here. Thanks in advance.

Nique -

Let me see if I can be of some help.

1). I don't care. Seriously, if they are just playing along that's great. The only time I care is if they stop responding to what I am saying, if that happens - they're gone. This isn't theraphy - play by my rules or you're done.

2. I do a sqeeky clean show and recommend you do the same. Sure you can make them hump a chair, but you're most likely not going to be invited back.

3. The best way to gain confidence - practice, practice, practice - there are no shortcuts. Feel solid in your show and it will show, the same is true if you are unsure.

4. Not that I know of. Hit ebay and buy a couple of performances. You see how crappy some are and learn what to and not do.

best of luck.

Tim

Oh gosh Tim,

Thanks so much for your reply.
Will be finding out more about the various techniques involved in hypnosis, as well as putting together some repertoire before I head on out and start performing.
The thing about hypnosis to me, is that the only way to practice is by actually doing a live show and I haven't the confidence to just go out there and start just yet.
I guess one has to just plan a routine then just go at it and learn while on the job.
Anyone else has any input?

Thanks again.

Mota -

I'll save you $500 with this tibit. Want to practice - get some chairs, throw some stuffed animals in them and run through the show. Feel comfortable with that then make up flash cards that have the problems on there (subject non responsive, etc) and work through that a few times. Then find some group that needs to raise money - offer to do a show for a few hundred bucks and then blow them away.

Tim

OK...

I don't remember asking but still that is very good advice for anyone curious about these things.

Sorry mota I meant nique.

Heh heh!

Thanks for the input again, Tim.

In my first post ont his thread I mentioned audiences here generally being extremely conservative; it's hard enough getting people to come up to do a drawing duplication!

Would this make it somewhat tricky in getting a good number of volunteers?

You can watch a complete (slightly edited) show of Michael Johns at this webpage:
http://www.vegasstagehypnosis.com/about.htm

You can also probaly do a youtube search and get various inductions, and other promo videos...

Thanks again... have been watching some of the vids on youtube already.

Also, please take the time to read both the Ground Rules and the FAQ for this forum. Several of your questions are addressed there to an extent.

The National Guild of Hypnotists has, I believe, at least one Certified Instructor in Singapore, if I'm not mistaken, so PLEASE, for your audience's sakes GET THE TRAINING.

I can't stress this enough.

Lee Darrow, C.H.

Lots of others on YouTube and google video. Certainly Michael has a few posted but so do MANY others. Learn from them all. Banyan has some interesting clinical stuff posted and you could probaly spend all day watching hypno vids on these sights and learn a lot. Search terms: induction, hypnosis, nlp, stage hypno, etc....