"The Pareto principle (also known as the 80-20 rule,[1] the law of the vital few, and the principle of factor sparsity) states that, for many events, roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of the causes" Wikipeadia

I think we can safety apply this to hypnosis. In my not too shabby experience it has been my observation that around 1 in 5 people are what I was taught by my Mentor to call 'A Somnambulist'. In hypnotic terms this means someone who is very easy to hypnotise. It is my opinion that these are the only people who can 'do' hypnosis to the point useful on stage.

The somnambulist is always in a state of suggestion acceptance. That doesn't men they are 'gullible' as the two are not entirely the same. Many more people can be conned to accept snake oil but they figure it out after the event. A somnambulist won't even notice the hypnotic suggestion and have no defence against it when executed concisely.

This of course also means that 20% of people can no more be hypnotised than you could survive on a diet of cardboard. However not to worry because if you are doing it right, [ in my book ] and only hypnotising people who actively seek it out and volunteer, then you will never meet this 1 of five people because they are totally uninterested in hypnosis.

The other 60% fall somewhere from being fairly easy to get into hypnosis but unlikely to have particularly active creativity, right through to those who could take so long it isn't a viable thing to put effort into unless of course you are doing something therapeutic which is outside the bounds of this Stage and Entertainment hypnosis forum.

Now for the newbie this should help you to realise that the 100% target isn't doable unless you allow the somnambulist to come to you rather than you going to them. Then you're success rate is likely to go right up to maybe 70% or 80%.

The trick in recognising a somnambulist is of course simple in stage terms. Stick the word hypnotist on a poster. In magician terms just mention the word 'Hypnosis' or 'Hypnotist' and then look for the person who is most interested and ask if they have ever been hypnotised. Then leave it, if they want it they will ask for it. You can of course push the situation but the more you push the more your success rate will fall.

Derren Brown often starts a live routine by claiming no one will be hypnotised and you can almost feel the somnambulists going under at the very mention of the word. Then it's a simple matter of watching for the most energetic and determined physical response to throwing out a Frisbee or a stuffed toy to pick the most likely to go under. However in Derren's audience I'd guess that the Perato rule is probably reversed and his average audience is very heavy with somnambulists as the non responsive 20% wont even be there which of course pushes the odds up somewhat.

One of the most worrying things I read from newbies and hypnosis students is their failure rate compared to old fogies like me. This has nothing whatever to do with our 'superior technique' or confidence, it's all down to choosing the right subject in the easiest way and then it's down to the good old Perato rule.

Hope this helps someone.

Thanks for sharing this, Jon!


Best,

lexa

Getting people to come to you and only working with them is probably one of the best pieces of advice in any form of persuasion.

Agreed. ONE of the best pieces of advice.
The BEST piece of advice would be how to achieve such a thing.

Watch for my next post Bobser

The key is in the opening and the invite to the stage in my view. It makes it almost impossible for the "naturals" to refuse. It also knocks those close to being "naturals" off the fence. What you end up with is a stacked deck.

This is why I have ALWAYS maintained that in a stage setting, the opening lecture is where the key to the show is. It can make or break a show.

The thing is even with a rush of people to the stage they aren't all somnabulists. And of the ones that are - are not all good material for a performance. that's is also where a huge part of the skill lies. You have a very short time period to develop the show find the stars and get them performing. Once you are at that point it becomes a bit easier. But up till that point you need to really beon your game.

Some of the "naturals" just drop to far to be of much use.

MY experience is that while the introduction shpeel is very good for starting the show and setting the scene it has very little to do with whether you get the somnambulists or not. If you ooze confidence and are their picture of a hypnotist they come. As for neutrals well that's why we get 'failures'. Yes we can persuade the unsure to come up but then they will leave.You only hypnotise the somnambulists. Ever. It isn't an odds game and 1 somnambulist is worth a hundred so so's.

In my opinion the show starts the second you walk out. No development is neccessary, get on with it. Although I do realise I am not anyone else, it's just my way.

I think the show starts LONG before you walk out. In my opinion if you are waiting till you walk out you have missed many an opportunity.

My induction starts before I walk out. Heck it starts before I am in the building. Technically it starts when they know there is a hypnotist and they are going to be in the room.

I don't even think about somnambulists. I'm not looking for them. I'm looking for developments early on in the show that can be stitched together for maximum impact. I think the term can be a bit misleading. You find a somnabulist and you'll be ok. I don't work that way. I'm looking for opportunties to allow a show to develop. You have to work hard and you have to work fast to get it going. Then you can relax a bit and be creative as you tease the responses and interactions with others on the stage then amplify them.

You can fill a stage with people the only thing that matters within a limited time frame is you have the best "material" for your show locked in ready to go. And of course you have discarded the weakest.

For me I don't rely on anyone just to come up. I always work hard to get the best I can as fast as I can.

Yea it is pointless to try for one group or another. You wind up with some of them by accident anyhow. The key is to find someone WILLING more than anything.

Or with no will at all

I look for hyper responsive "stars". Although its not always clear who they will be. Quite often during the early part of the show during the light phase they will be the slowest and most lethargic. But then something clicks and they become the stars of the night. And vice versa.

That is a big part of a skilled stage worker and something you can't teach I don't think. Then again I don't teach stage work.

I only work with somnambulists. ;-)

Its just a label. I only work with "stars". There are a lot of somnambulists that don't have a trance personality. A star is a somnabulist that does.

The first person I "slumped" was a mate in a stair at the age of 13 from reading a six page booklet form the emsly joke book company. I also rendered his body cataleptic and couldn't get him out of it! He was panicking and in tears and me and another mate had to stand him up like cardboard cut out and ease him down the stairs until he finaly got back his movement.

I started hypnotising people at school very badly. Yes to do shows needs balls. To do shows well and safely you need education. Part of which is studying as many good performers as you get the chance to see.

I like that.

No too hit and miss for me. I work with somnambulists who I then turn into stars. I supply what they need to give the audience what I think it needs. It's my show not theirs. Personally letting them decide what happens is just way too risky.

I've no idea what a 'trance' personality is but didn't you say you don't need trance? The word means a sleep like state by the way.