Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
Hypnotist loves Cape Town audiences
THE highly entertaining Andre the Hilarious Hypnotist is heading to Cape Town for a season at Roxy Revue Bar at GrandWest Casino And Entertainment World from May 3 until June 4.
The bilingual hypnotist with a penchant for jokes about Bloemfontein invites volunteers on to the stage, hypnotises them and gets them to take part in various routines which have the audience rolling in the aisles.
From suggestions which vary from the strange to the downright ridiculous, Andre makes his volunteers impersonate everything from a washing machine, typewriter and goldfish to Superman and a sprinkler.
He has been performing for decades and says the show has undergone major changes over the years.
“Some suggestions have fallen by the wayside and other suggestions have grown in popularity, but at the end of the day I rely on the proven tried and tested formula that makes my show fun, with volunteers from the audience.”
We are all good hypnotic subjects but not all great when it comes to stage hypnosis, explains Andre.
“We are exposed to hypnosis in various formats during the day, the most common of these being daydreaming and advertising.
“In normal day- to- day life nobody refers to it as being hypno- sis which is why we have a different understanding of people when we see them on stage.”
Any person with the ability to focus, concentrate and follow Andre’s instructions will be able to experience hypnosis.
“If there is one thing that Cape Town volunteers are known for, it’s their creativity,” says Andre.
“The volunteers are always willing, and unlike the more sceptical Joburgers, tend to get hypnotised far easier.
“It’s this very creative side of Cape Town that often leads to the discovery of new routines and an all-out far more rewarding performance,” he says.
Shows are Wednesdays to Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 5pm and 8pm, and Sundays at 3pm.
Tickets are R120 through Computicket at www. computicket. com, call 0861 915 8000 or visit Computicket in selected Checkers stores. There is no age restriction.
Follow Andre on Twitter at @andrehypnotist