Hello

The question I have is, as the subject stated, pointed to the professional stage hypnotists. The guys working stage hypnosis as a full time job. With no other sources of income, apart from mentalism but at least a 50% ratio of the two arts. And of course any retired fitting the above criteria. I will sit back and look forward to the answers.

Part 1:
From the time you walk on stage until the very first real skit, not a qualifying one, how long does it take you? I do not believe there is a right or a wrong I'm just taking a poll for my own gage.

Part 2:
I understand there are times the length of your show is changed by the promoter or company that you are working for. Like some cruise lines require you to keep your show at 45 minutes. Under these circumstances what is the one thing you hate to cut from the show but must? That is, the last thing you would want to lose but have no choice to cut because it just takes too long?

Regards,
Ted

Part 1: Normally I aim for twenty to thirty minutes of warm-up, including a few mental tricks and lots of comedy. I have cut it down to five minutes for some crowds (though those are not the shows I enjoy). At a bad pub gig earlier this year my opening gag was booed (never happened before) so I just called for volunteers and began. But I'll never accept a booking from that venue again.

Part 2: The warm-up. I was once asked to do a twenty minute show in a college. We compromised on thirty minutes. I walked on, called for volunteers, got forty, and didn't even bother with an induction. I shouted SLEEP, and kept those who dropped their heads. But that will only work with a great audience. I was very lucky that day.

I would have loved to have seen that!
Nice one!

I never do any warm up tricks suggestibility tests other than the hand clasp. I don't think they are needed if the show is structured right. Just my preference.

I only ever worked venues I wanted to work and the basic show was an hour long. I never did anything less unless it was mentalism. If someone wanted a shorter show I advised them on a mental show. Hypnosis in my view needs time to build. To shorten it leaves out a lot of the value and I on't do it. The things I am hearing over and over since doing the summer shows from members of the audience I bump into is the rapid inductions I do. They are totally amazed by them. So I would never leave out that theatrical part.

First "awake" skits probably 20 mins. But everything that has gone before has been entertaining building the show starting with the nervousness of the audience moving to the mystery astonsishment then the real laughter. During the laughter I still include moments of astonishment. To leave out any of those elements in my opinion is to compromise the show and I would rather not.

Much of a standard stage hypnosis show are things that are not needed, but are included to add effect, drama, establish credibility and likability, and to create an entertaining presentation. To me these questions depend on the venue, size, and perhaps age of the audience and several other factors. I too have mine range from 6-7 minutes to closer to 20 or 25. To me it's not about the length, but the entertainment factor involved, after all it is a performance.

1. I think it credits the audience with too much prior knowledge expecting they know the distinction between (what you call) qualifying skits, inductions, deepeners, "real" skits etc.
For me the important thing is that from the moment I step on stage, the audience are in no doubt they're watching and being entertained by a hypnotist even before anyone else sets foot on the stage.

2. When I have to cut a show short, I miss the opportunity to improvise around really excellent, expressive and vocal volunteers and I also miss cutting short the interaction between subjects or between subjects and audience.

I agree with Reg on number 2: that's why I won't cut the basic show. I would rather not take the booking.

Bingo, I do not cut my show, it either fits or it does not.

As for number one, it takes what it takes. It depends and what I mean is this. If it is a college show, you can pretty much use "who wants to be hypnotised?" as an opening lecture and have a quick induction and the show will not suffer in the least. Same with the post prom shows. I personally never do this as my show is very structured and "just in case" needs to be kept in mind.

Where I work they are NOT expecting a hypnotist. So the opening before anyone is doing anything needs to be longer.

Thank you for the honest answers gentlemen.

I'm running right around 20 minutes. I have met a few guys that talk about how fast there induction is and I don't get a chance to see others work. I didn't know what the average was for a stage show.

Thanks again,
Ted

The key is to make it part of the show, make it entertaining. It is after all a show. I have seen many who cut one or the other (Induction or opening lecture) to the detriment of the show.

1. Around 10 to 12 minutes, counting the induction which of course is actually the first 'routine'. However "I" would count magnetic fingers and the light and heavy hands or any other test as a routine because the audience think they are. And they really should be. In which case the answer is three or four minutes down to instantly.

2. Nothing I ever regretted or regret dropping. Start strong and finish stronger then wht the middle bit is doesn't matter.

Hope this helps someone.

I would also count most of the light stages as part of the induction. About 20 mins in all to the wide awake part wehich for me is when the show really accelerates. that's when you can create some really funny moments although they are laughing after the rapid induction.

To me once somebody is at the wide awake part where you can get them to do anything they are then properly hypnotized.

1. If I'm doing a full two-hour show, then I'm happy to have some real fun with the audience during the pre-talk with lots more gags and playful banter, in which case it's usually about 20 minutes (because the first 10-12 of that is the pre-talk). If I'm doing anything less (say 45-90 minutes) then it's about 10-12 minutes.

2. A lot of corp jobs require shorter shows too, I've regularly been asked to do 30 minutes but usually tried to negotiate that extra 15 minutes. I don't *regret* anything, because the client has booked me to do what they've booked me to do... BUT I would LIKE to be able to spend a little longer warming up the audience and just having a laugh during the pre-talk.