Bob Cassidy - The Real Work of Stage Hypnosis

BOB CASSIDY

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS

The Real Work of Stage Hypnosis

Bob Cassidy ©2005 by Robert E Cassidy All Rights Reserved Protected by DocuID™

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AN IMPORTANT PRELIMINARY NOTE This eBook is intended primarily for the experienced mentalist and mystery entertainer. While it contains several standard hypnosis routines, they are provided primarily for illustrative purposes. The focus of the work is on the technical and presentational aspects of the art. At least a minimal familiarity with the structure of the standard hypnosis show is presumed. Detailed descriptions of the various routines available to the stage hypnotist are available throughout the literature. Of particular value – not only for its content but because it remains widely available – is Ormond McGill's classic Encyclopedia of Stage Hypnosis. Also highly recommended, but perhaps a bit harder to find, are Orville Meyer's Telepathy in Action and William Larsen, Sr.'s Dr. Q's Hypnotic Act. (The latter is also available, along with lots of other good stuff, in The Mental Mysteries of William Larsen, Sr. If you can find a copy, it's worth whatever you have to pay for it.) That being said, The Real Work of Stage Hypnosis nonetheless covers the fundamentals of a successful hypnotic demonstration – it's just that its emphasis and order, as well as much of its content, are somewhat different. For example, most works on stage hypnosis begin by explaining what hypnosis is, followed by instructions on "how to hypnotize." This eBook begins with a discussion of what hypnosis isn't, and then discusses things in their order of importance. "How to Hypnotize," therefore, comes pretty near the end. That's the first thing you need to know about "the real work."

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS

TABLE OF CONTENTS AN IMPORTANT PRELIMINARY NOTE .................................................4 ABOUT THIS E-BOOK ..............................................................................6 THE REAL WORK .....................................................................................7 "FACTS" .....................................................................................................8 THE TRUTH ............................................................................................. 10 STAGE HYPNOSIS ..................................................................................14 SETTING THE STAGE.............................................................................15 SEQUENCING.......................................................................................... 21 THE INTRODUCTION .............................................................................23 THE OPENING TALK .............................................................................. 25 PRELIMINARY TESTS............................................................................26 INDUCTION ............................................................................................. 27 THE CHECK............................................................................................. 35 THREE ROUTINES ..................................................................................39 POST HYPNOTIC SUGGESTIONS ......................................................... 45 WAKING THE SUBJECTS.......................................................................45 CLOSING..................................................................................................46 APPENDIX ...............................................................................................48

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ABOUT THIS E-BOOK There are two parts to The Real Work of Stage Hypnosis – the pdf file you are presently reading and an audio folder containing mp3 sound files. There are local links in this pdf file that will automatically open your default mp3 player and play the audio files, PROVIDED that you left this pdf file in the same folder that contains the sub-folder named "soundfiles." Of course, you may also access the audio files directly by opening the "soundfiles" sub-folder and opening them individually. I hope you enjoy The Real Work of Stage Hypnosis and find the information it contains to be useful to you in creating your own presentations. Bob Cassidy May 2005 Seattle, Washington www.mastermindreader.com

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS THE REAL WORK

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half century ago, the portrayal of hypnosis as a zombie-like state of obedience, induced by the irresistible suggestions and penetrating gaze of a goateed Svengali, had already become a theatrical and literary stereotype. Public and scientific interest in hypnosis languished, and many once popular stage hypnotists either developed smutty nightclub acts or found day jobs. In 1956, a spectacular resurgence of public interest in hypnosis was triggered by the release of The Quest for Bridey Murphy. The best selling book recounted how the author, Morey Bernstein, repeatedly hypnotized a woman he called Ruth Simmons, taking her farther and farther back into her childhood until she arrived at a time prior to her birth. Speaking in a thick Irish brogue, she said her name was Bridey Murphy and she described, in great detail, what seemed to be a previous life. It wasn't long before a new generation of amateur and professional hypnotists started performing at parties all over the country. Most had no problem getting eager subjects regressed to previous lives, which they would describe in amazing detail. So amazing, in fact, that skeptics soon suspected that the simple suggestion that they focus on a past life was all the psyched up Bridey Murphy fans needed to construct convincing former incarnations out of bits and pieces of childhood memories. Eventually, the alleged accuracy of Bridey's descriptions was questioned. Many of the details she described either conflicted with known facts or, in many cases, corresponded to events that had taken place in the childhood of her present life. The public lost interest in the regression parties and turned their attention to a kid named Elvis. Most of the hypnotists either developed risqué Vegas acts or found day jobs.

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"FACTS" Several weeks prior to a performance, Doctor Bob delivers promotional table tents to the owner, manager, or chairperson of the establishment where he will be appearing. He requests club owners to put them on all tables, the bar, on the bulletin board, etc. The promotional piece bears his photograph and the date of his upcoming show. The rest of it is devoted to a brief article titled "The Facts About Hypnosis." The article is also included in his promotional kits and mailings, and its contents are repeated, almost verbatim, in the opening talk he gives at the beginning of each show. Apart from its value as a promotional device, "The Facts About Hypnosis" serves to fulfill the prerequisites of a successful performance of stage hypnotism. It creates the impression of expertise, experience and authority necessary to instill confidence in potential hypnotic subjects; it dispels any fears people may have about hypnosis; it encourages the participation of subjects ideally suited to become "the real stars of the show." You may conclude, that it also gives a scientific and educational appearance to the show. Doctor Bob would agree, but, as a fellow performer, he might remind you that appearances can be deceiving, for "The Facts About Hypnosis" contains very little that a serious student of hypnosis would consider either scientific or educational. Actually, it's a carefully prepared mixture of fact and fiction designed to encourage cooperation and to discourage wise guys. It sets the stage for a presentation that combines cooperative role-playing, benign techniques of psychological manipulation, and an almost blatant exploitation of the unique environmental and social dynamics of a public performance. As you read Doctor Bob's "The Facts About Hypnosis," see if you can separate the facts from the fiction. Later, we'll look at the results of current research and explain the other bit of reasoning behind Doctor Bob's misrepresentations.

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THE FACTS ABOUT HYPNOSIS By Doctor Bob, The Godfather of Hypnotism

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ypnosis may be defined as a trance-like altered state of consciousness characterized by extreme suggestibility, relaxation and heightened imagination. Hypnosis provides direct access to the subconscious mind - a repository of repressed memories, multiple personalities, transcendental insights and memories of past lives. Communications with a hypnotized subject bypass the filters normally provided by the analytical conscious mind, and the subconscious automatically responds to suggestions as if they were the subject's own thoughts, sensations or emotional reactions. This is why hypnosis has proven to be an effective method for conquering bad habits, improving memory and learning skills, losing weight, enhancing physical abilities, controlling pain, and removing the inner roadblocks that prevent individuals from reaching their full potential in life. Contrary to popular belief, almost everyone can be hypnotized, the exceptions include young children, the mentally impaired, and those afflicted with physical, age related, or substance abuse problems that interfere with their ability to comprehend, visualize or concentrate on hypnotic suggestions. Otherwise, the only requirement is an open-minded attitude and a sincere desire to experience the phenomenon of hypnosis. Some people, of course, are more susceptible to hypnosis than others. Generally, when a stage hypnotist dismisses a subject it is not because he or she cannot be hypnotized. Some very good subjects respond effectively to induction techniques that is just too time consuming to be practical in a public exhibition. Most people can reach a stage of light to medium trance in just a few minutes or less. Some, however, can take as long as twenty to twenty-five minutes to get there, and by that time most of the audience would be there as well. A person cannot be forced to do anything while hypnotized that goes against his or her moral standards. A subject cannot be compelled to do anything against his or her will. There are those who believe that hypnosis is used to overcome a subject's will power thus forcing him or her to submit to the will of the hypnotist and mindlessly obey his commands. That's the reason behind the myth that hypnotism works best on the weak-minded and uneducated.

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Nothing could be further from the truth. The weak willed and those with below average intelligence are almost impossible to hypnotize. They lack the essential skills in concentration, comprehension and visualization that are required to enter the trance state. The research and my own personal experience have shown that the best hypnotic subjects are intelligent, imaginative, and cooperative. They understand that hypnosis is not a battle of wits between the hypnotist and his subjects and are either open minded about hypnosis or already know that all hypnosis is, in reality, self-hypnosis. They know that the hypnotist is really just a tour guide to the subconscious mind.

THE TRUTH There is no universally accepted definition that explains what hypnosis is or how it works. The traditional view is that hypnosis involves a "special" or "altered" state of consciousness. That view is challenged by those who attribute "hypnotic" behavior to ordinary social and/or psychological processes. Hypnotic effects can be produced without a hypnotic induction, provided the subjects are appropriately motivated, conditioned, or instructed. Some theorists emphasize the importance of the social roles imposed on the parties. Thus, the subject, acting in accordance with the expectations of the hypnotist, behaves as he or she thinks one is supposed to behave while hypnotized. The hypnotist, acting according to the expectations of the subject, behaves as a hypnotist is supposed to behave. The truly fascinated thing about hypnosis is that it has been proven effective as a medical, therapeutic and counseling tool, and has produced results that cannot be attributed to the placebo effect or simple selfdeception. No one seems to know why.

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS There are some fundamental principles, however, upon which most researchers are in agreement:  Hypnosis does not increase strength, nor does it enhance learning ability or sensory acuity.  The ability to relax is not essential - hypnosis can be induced during vigorous exercise.  Contrary to the social conformity and expectations theories, many highly motivated subjects fail to experience hypnosis.  Under laboratory conditions, neither the technique nor the personality of the hypnotist is significant. It is the subject's capacity to be hypnotized that is important.  Personality type is not related to the ability to achieve hypnosis.  Rather than enhancing recall of an event, hypnosis may actually muddle the distinction between memory and fantasy.  Subjects do, however, apparently adhere to their usual moral standards. Accounts to the contrary appear to be apocryphal, poorly investigated, or inadequately documented. The following, from the declassified 1960 CIA report, Hypnosis in Interrogation by Edward F. Deshere, offers an interesting insight: Most work on this problem has focused on the more specific question of whether a person can be induced under hypnosis to commit some antisocial or self-destructive act. Supporting this negative view is the classic experiment by Janet, who asked a deeply hypnotized female to commit several murders before a distinguished group of judges and magistrates, stabbing some victims with rubber daggers and poisoning others with sugar tablets. She did all this without hesitation. As the company dispersed, however, she was left in the charge of some young assistants, who took a notion to end the experiments on a lighter note. When they told her that she was now alone and would undress she promptly awakened. The murders were play-acted, the undressing would have been real; and the subject had no difficulty discerning the difference.

• People usually remember the details of a hypnosis session. Posthypnotic amnesia does not occur spontaneously. Although many people believe that a person is not supposed to remember

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what happened during an hypnotic session, even those who were told by the hypnotist that they would not remember will eventually recall most of what happened. When a volunteer rushes from the stage after the show and eagerly asks his or friends "What happened?" it's a pretty good indicator that he or she was merely play-acting. This tends to support the social conformance theory.

• Contrary to the widespread myth that hypnosis can be dangerous, researchers have concluded that standard hypnotic procedures are no more distressing than college lectures. The actual dangers posed by hypnosis are simply attributable to the particularly litigious era we live in. Thus, it is a good idea for stage hypnotists to either carry liability insurance of their own, or to make certain their activities are covered under their employers' policies. Physically dangerous conditions that could result in reasonably foreseeable accidents (such as tripping hazards caused by unsecured speaker cables, chairs placed so near the edge of a stage that might easily fall off if seated spectators shifted their positions, improperly mounted lighting or other stage equipment, etc.) create potential liability situations that are hardly unique to hypnotism shows. Karaoke promoters, disk jockeys, pickpockets - anyone and everyone who presents or offers entertainment requiring audience participation - face the same legal hazards and are required to exercise due care to avoid reasonably foreseeable accidents that could result in personal injury. Damage awards resulting from "psychic trauma" attributable directly to dangers caused by a so-called "hypnotic trance," are so rare as to be virtually non-existent. I have found none in the United States or Great Britain. [There was a case in England, however, involving a stage hypnotist who allegedly regressed a woman to age 8 and recovered memories of sexual abuse. I'm not sure if the defendant chose this as an "entertaining" bit to include in his program, or if it occurred in a post show private session, but the opinion of the court stated that the finding of liability was not against stage hypnosis per se.]

There is a world of difference, however, between clinical hypnotism and the form of entertainment known as "stage hypnosis." The following comment by skeptical psychologist Robert Baker, while certainly

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS debatable by clinicians or researchers who support the altered state theory, is pretty close to the truth as far as stage hypnosis is concerned: If you want to use a [suggestibility] test, one of the simplest as well as quickest of all... is this: approach the client, smile, and stick out your hand. If the client takes it and shakes it, he or she is socially conditioned to respond to your subsequent request to relax, close their eyes, and focus on the internal imagery your suggestions provide. This is all hypnosis is and I have yet to meet the human being incapable of doing this. In other words: everyone is hypnotizable if they wish to be and no one is hypnotizable if they don't want to be. This is an easily observable fact, despite what any and all experts may claim. From "The Arizona Skeptic", vol. 5, no. 4 (Jan/Feb 1992), pp. 2-4

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STAGE HYPNOSIS Stage hypnosis is a popular form of entertainment. The hypnotist calls for volunteers to come up on stage. He then performs an "induction" and keeps those who respond appropriately to his suggestions and dismisses the rest. Some of the successful subjects may actually have entered a state of hypnosis. Others will simply think they have. Some will be responding to social or personal expectations and still others will feel pressured into doing so. As a practical matter, in any large social gathering there will be those who have natural exhibitionist tendencies. The performer's suggestions provide them with an unconscious excuse to shed their inhibitions in order to become "stars" of the show. In venues where alcohol is served it is easy to find plenty of uninhibited people - the suggestibility tests are simply needed to select those who are still able to follow instructions. Those who paid attention to "The Facts About Hypnosis" and the similar "facts" Doctor Bob delivers in his opening talk, might have received the message that those who fail to respond to suggestions could be perceived as unimaginative, uncooperative, or mentally impaired. They may decide that getting hypnotized creates a better impression. It doesn't really matter. As Doctor Bob says, "Whatever works."

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SETTING THE STAGE Most of the available references on stage hypnosis begin with instructions for inducing the so-called hypnotic trance. An effective induction, however, depends to a large extent upon properly setting the stage by: 1) Creating an atmosphere that elicits faith in the performer's ability as a hypnotist, 2) Eliminating "problem" volunteers, and 3) Getting volunteers who are most likely to put on an effective show. Promotional materials similar to Doctor Bob's "Facts About Hypnosis", an effective opening talk and a professional stage setting go a long way to establishing these goals, and make the actual process of "hypnotizing" the subjects practically self-working. Building an audience's expectations is critical to getting volunteers who will behave the way you want them to. The pre-show sell, the professional appearance and attitude of the performer - the use of music and lights - all of these contribute to the proper atmosphere that convinces an audience of the performer's credentials as a professional - thus provided the tacit permission from an authority figure that will allow the subjects to guiltlessly lose their inhibitions while on the stage as volunteers. If a performance venue does not have suitable theatrical lighting and sound (and nine out of ten times they don't) it is a good idea to bring your own. The following set-up is very effective: 1) Two light bars – with four lights each – mounted on stands which can be raised to about ten feet from the floor, 2) One additional stand upon which is mounted a single spot with a blue gel, 3) A professional sound system with at least two mounted speakers (and two monitors facing the volunteers), a hand-held wireless microphone, and two cassette decks or dual cd players (for the show's music, the performer's introduction and pre and post show music) The following graphic illustrates a professional appearing and efficient set-up together with an ideal seating arrangement for the volunteers.

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The tape/cd decks are set up on a table off-stage to either side, behind a curtain if possible. During the show the hypnotist will frequently leave the stage while the audience's attention is focused on the antics of the volunteers. If he is working without assistants, these are the times he will be able to go to the decks to cue up whatever music is scheduled next in the program. A pocket-sized remote control unit is also recommended for solo workers. (It's not necessary to spend a fortune on the remote controls. All of the equipment can be plugged into simple and inexpensive remote control plugs available in any hardware or lighting store. ) The blue light (mounted on the center stage stand) is lit during the induction, when the other lights are down, and serves as a focal point for members of the audience who may have been too shy to volunteer but would nonetheless like to experience the induction. (Often some of the best "performers" will be those who go under while still in the audience.) Apart from creating a professional atmosphere and focusing the audience's attention on the performing area, the lighting and sound also create an onstage atmosphere that will be unfamiliar to most of the 16

THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS volunteers. They will literally find themselves in an unfamiliar world and will be more amenable to the hypnotist's suggestions than they would be if the performer was working with just houselights and a house sound system, or – worse yet – something borrowed from a disk jockey. (It's usually a terrible idea – the sound will be almost always be wrong and the microphone will be inadequate for the demands of a professional hypnosis, or mentalism, show. At best, this kind of an approach conveys a cavalier attitude. At worst, it spells "A-M-A-T-E-U-R.") ASSISTANTS Assistants, however, not only make the performer's job easier by handling the lights and sound (as well as "spotting" the volunteers and keeping an eye out for audience members who "go out" during the induction), but they add to the professional appearance of the production. (A nice idea is to provide them with windbreaker style jackets - or other appropriate attire - with the name of the show silk-screened or embroidered on the back.) "THE COMEDY HYPNOTIST" Nowadays, comedy is a central element in most stage hypnosis shows. And face it – the reason most people go to hypnosis shows is not to learn about hypnosis, but to laugh at the antics of those who get hypnotized, or to participate in the show themselves. It is not unusual for hypnotists to advertise their shows as being "funfilled", "a laugh a minute", etc. This makes good sense because that's exactly what audiences want. Some performers, though, have taken to billing themselves as "comedy hypnotists." While this may work fine for a chosen few, I suggest that it also makes the hypnotist's job much more difficult than it needs to be. It works against the confidence, belief and trust that brings the best subjects forward, makes an effective induction nearly automatic, and encourages "wise guys" to stay in their seats. The words "Comedy Hypnotist" convey the impression "Fake Hypnotist" and produce the same credibility problems that would face a mentalist who chose to bill himself as a "Comedy Mind Reader." The comedy in a hypnosis show is primarily situational in nature. Most effective performers play the role of "scientific demonstrator" early in the program. Later, as the routines become progressively more uninhibited 17

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and outrageous, they switch roles to become a "straight men" and/or "ringmasters." It is generally accepted that the volunteers, and not the hypnotist, are the stars of a successful hypnotism show. While this is true, it is important to observe the following caveat:

CAVEAT HYPTOR (Let the Hypnotist Beware)

Quid latine dictum sit, altum videtur (Everything sounds better in Latin)

Stage hypnotism is one of the few show business specialties where audience reaction is not always an accurate gauge of a performer's success. Many beginners, and most hacks, fool themselves into thinking that the laughter and applause elicited by the antics of the hypnotized subjects are proof positive of their performing skills. They are not. As long as there are a few extroverted volunteers on stage who follow the hypnotist's directions, more or less, the audience will laugh and applaud, more or less, – even if their opinion of the performer is low. The only true indicator of the hypnotist's talent (and being an effective straight man/ringmaster takes well-honed performing skills) is whether he is constantly successful in being re-booked by the same establishment at the same or higher fee. Return bookings generally constitute the bulk of a successful professional's work. More or less.

MENTALISM AND HYPNOSIS The majority of professional stage hypnotists devote their entire program to hypnotism. (Programs generally are at least an hour, and, often, up to two hours long.) It is not unusual, however, for mentalists to present a hypnosis demonstration as the second part of their programs. This is how I have always presented stage hypnosis. If you are a mentalist who wishes to do stage hypnosis, the latter approach is highly recommended for two reasons: 1) Assuming you present a competent and professional mentalism show, preceding hypnotism with mentalism will not only build your own self-confidence, but will help to instill the faith and trust essential to getting good subjects to come forward and to respond maximally to your suggestions.

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS 2) It won't happen often if you've properly promoted a show, but there will invariably come a time when the audience turns out to be rather small. It is a rule of thumb in hypnosis and mentalism that the smaller the audience and/or the size of the venue, the faster the show will go. Suppose you've been booked to do ninety minutes and there are only twenty or thirty people in attendance. You will not only have a hard time getting a sufficient number of good volunteers to the stage (unless you hypnotize everyone – not a viable option if the venue is depending on liquor sales to pay your fee), but, without a lot of obvious padding, it's going to be very difficult to stretch the show to the allotted time and still be maximally entertaining. That's a situation where opening the program with a forty-five minute demonstration of mentalism can literally save the day. THE THIRD WAY There is a third approach to performing mentalism with hypnotism that raises the hackles of many self-proclaimed "authorities" in stage hypnosis (usually clinical hypnotists who dabble in mentalism as amateurs or semiprofessionals). In the glory years of the early twentieth century, it was common for stage hypnotists to include pseudo "hypno-tricks" and mental-type effects as part of the hypnosis demonstration itself. This sort of thing, along with the use of shills, "horses"* and Dr. Q style "cold cueing" is generally frowned upon by these "authorities." Expert opinions aside, however, no one can deny the power and commercial value of Ormond McGill's Telepathy in Action, a stage hypnosis act disguised as a demonstration in telepathy which relies exclusively upon verbal trickery, or the cold cueing techniques introduced by William Larson, Sr. in his "Dr. Q" routine, and brought to perfection in the masterful and legendary hands of John Calvert. While I have never used "stooges" per se (nothing against it, mind you, it's just that I don't need them) I often have invited good subjects to return to a later show in venues, such as cruise ships, where the same basic show is presented first as an "early show" and again, in the evening as part of a somewhat more risqué "late show." *Horse – old show business slang for a hyp show stooge, often a former sideshow worker, who, while purportedly in a hypnotic trance, would experience no pain as his lips were sewn shut or other parts of his body subjected to similar tortures.

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I also have no qualms about combining Dr. Q style "cold cueing" with standard suggestions. Since the technique is best described by example, I might as well give you a good one. It is a little gem I have found very useful over the years, and I think you will, too.

THE REAL WORK "HANDS STUCK" TEST Just after a "one on one" test extend your hand to the subject as if to shake hands. As you shake hands say, "Make your hand stick to mine". Open and extend your fingers and start to pull your hand away. If, in response to what was really both a suggestion and a "cold cue," the subject's hand remains stuck to yours, all well and good. But if the spectator's hand starts to come away from yours, keep his hand stuck firmly to your palm by the simple expedient of pressing your thumb against the back of his hand, thus holding it firmly against your own. Either way it will look the same to the audience, but if the subject's hand stuck to yours simply in response to the command, "Make your hand stick to mine," you have found one of the "stars" of your show who will respond to whatever blatant commands you may later choose to give him.

Don't underestimate the value of the foregoing technique. It is the method I use to pre-select my subjects for the classic "Electric Chair" routine, described wonderfully, by the way, in Val Andrew's little classic Simplicity, Audacity and Bluff.

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SEQUENCING Following is an oft-recommended sequence for the essential elements in the first part of a stage hypnosis show: 1) The Introduction 2) The Performer's Entrance and Opening Remarks 3) Request for Volunteers 4) Suggestibility Tests (to "weed" out unresponsive volunteers) 5) The Group Induction (The "guts" of the hypnosis show – the routines, follow. The program concludes with post-hypnotic suggestions, the "awakening", dismissal of the subjects and the performer's closing remarks) While I've often seen this sequence used by successful hypnotists, I suggest that it makes the performer's job much more difficult than it needs to be. The first problem with the sequence as given is that it sacrifices maximum audience involvement – something I have always considered essential at the beginning of a show. (It is my rational behind doing psychological choice effects with the entire audience as the opener to my mentalism program. See The Art of Mentalism 2, or The Artful Mentalism of Bob Cassidy for the sequence I use.) Another problem with the sequence is that it is likely, due to their nervousness or skepticism, to leave some of the best potential subjects seated in the audience. I suggest that the following is far more efficient and effective: 1) The Introduction 2) The Performer's Entrance and Opening Remarks 3) Suggestibility Tests 4) Request for Volunteers 5) The Group Induction By reversing numbers 3) and 4), the suggestibility tests are now directed at the entire assembly and create total audience involvement. They also serve to accomplish much of the "weeding out" before the performer's request for volunteers.

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Also, presenting the tests as a group activity helps to overcome individual shyness and encourages the self-selection of those potentially excellent subjects who might otherwise be reticent to come forward due to a misplaced belief that they wouldn't be hypnotizable.

From Dr. Bob's best-seller Ridin' the Hypno Highway * *Not Available in Stores! As seen on TV! Order Your Copy Today!

In a sidebar to a news report about an unsuccessful 1998 lawsuit brought against popular British hypnotist, Paul McKenna, the BBC reported, "A man who was tricked into thinking he had 'lost his willy' has written [to McKenna's lawyers] to assure the hypnotist he enjoyed the experience." Rumors that the gentleman's willy was later found in a bowl of Wendy's chili con carne by a Mexican lady in Fresno - a "chili willy" so to speak – have not yet been confirmed. Nor has it been verified that Mr. McKenna was subpoenaed as a defense witness in the Michael Jackson trial.

"Where is that little rascal?"

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THE INTRODUCTION Ideally, as a stage hypnotist, your introduction should begin well before you actually take the stage. I am not only referring to the written introduction provided by "Facts about Hypnosis" table tents and other pre-show promotional materials, but to the professional atmosphere that should be established well before show time. The stage set-up described earlier should, if possible, be in place hours before the show is scheduled to begin. About half an hour prior to the program, fire up your cd or tape deck and play some suitable "hypnosis show music"* This not only sounds professional, but it lets the audience know that the show is almost ready to begin. If, as often happens, you need to delay your actual starting time because people are still being seated and/or ordering drinks or food, the music also conveys the reassuring impression that everything is going according to schedule. *NOTE BY DOCTOR BOB: What is meant by "hypnosis show music" is entirely dependent on the image you wish to create – I would suggest, though, that it is better to err on the side of being a bit old fashioned if the members of your audience span several generations. If you are working for a crowd substantially younger than you are, remember that there are few things more incongruent or downright painful to watch - or hear - than a performer who attempts to be "hip" before a younger audience. Unless, of course, he is in fact "hip," which he can't be if he thinks "hip" is still a popular adjective. I hear some of you objecting, "But Doctor Bob, I've seen you work and you use words like that all of the time. What's more, you play Nelson Riddle 'rat pack' jazz for pre-show and lead into your introduction with the Venture's 1962 surfin' version of 'Theme from the Twilight Zone.' " "I can see how that would work if you were opening for Peter Lemongello in Branson, but how do you get away with that stuff anywhere else?" The answer is simple – for me. And it's important to realize that this is different for every performer. You have to be acutely aware of the image you actually present as opposed to the one you'd like to think you present. In my case the music compliments the generational self-parody of my stage persona. I don't kid myself into thinking that a "hip-hop" or "rap" lead-in will endear me to a hip hop or rap crowd. All I know about rap is that you can't spell "crap" without it – an intelligent audience would pick up on that right away. They'd know instinctively that I was either a condescending opportunist or an ignorant fool. "Self parody works. Self-delusion doesn't. Dig?"

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About one minute before show time, your assistants slowly bring down the houselights and any lights that may be illuminating the performing area. Optionally, you might want to bring up the blue light only. (If you're working alone, take the time to tell the manager how to handle the houselights. For your own piece of mind, though, handle the music and stage lighting yourself with the remote control.) At the same time, the pre-show music segues into your intro music and the volume rises to "show" level. I've found that in club situations, the most effective introduction is a voice-over prerecorded over the last bars of your intro music. Either hire a professional announcer to record the intro or record it yourself. Alternatively, if the club has a professional master of ceremonies you may let him or her handle the honors, but never, if at all possible, allow anyone else to perform your introduction. The entire purpose of the pre-show work, the music, and the introduction is to create an aura of professionalism that will fill prospective subjects with faith and confidence and virtually guarantee a successful show. No matter how well you prepare him, if you let a banquet chairman (or the person who booked you) do the introduction – even if you've given him a written script, it is very likely that he will screw it up. [Disc jockeys, by the way, are no exception. As far as they are concerned, every minute you spend on stage reduces their tip total for the evening. Don't ask to use a disk jockey's equipment. Don't let a disk jockey handle your pre-show music, and never let a disk jockey introduce you. Break this rule at your own peril. You may get lucky a few times but sooner or later you'll suffer a bite on your nether region that you won't soon forget.]

Bring up full stage lights (both light bars) as you walk on. The music should fade out just as you reach center stage. [It is not generally desirable to leave the house lights too low after the introduction. Bring them back up to a level where servers can continue to serve, where volunteers can come to the stage without tripping, and where you and your assistants will be able to watch for audience members who "go under" during the induction process. *]

Stand still for three seconds. (If you want to know why, see my essay "The Three Second Rule" in my Theories and Methods for the Practical Psychic or The Artful Mentalism of Bob Cassidy. Essentially, the three-second pause is an effective way of "taking the stage" and serves to focus the audience's attention completely on you.)

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It's very effective if you precede your formal opening talk with an off-the cuff greeting or topical ad-lib.

A FINAL NOTE ON LIGHTS: The only other time you will need to adjust the lighting is before and after the group induction. During the induction all stage lights should be dimmed, except for the blue light. The house lights will remain unchanged, or only dimmed slightly to encourage silence in the audience. Afterwards, the stage lights are brought back up full and the blue light is turned off. That's basically it as far as lighting changes go. (Unless, of course, a particular routine can be enhanced with specialty lighting.)

THE OPENING TALK SOUND FILE Before we begin, there are a few points I'd like to make about hypnosis… That's how I start. Basically, the opening talk is just a condensed spoken version of the material contained in "The Facts About Hypnosis." The sound file provides an abbreviated version of the talk I use in my own show. It's rather generic, but it's nonetheless effective. I've omitted most of my favorite one-liners. I don't want you stealing them because they probably wouldn't work for you anyway. Besides, that's how I got most of them. They didn't work for me, either, until I edited, switched, worked and reworked them until they were uniquely suited to my own stage persona and style of delivery. Few of them have any resemblance to the originals. That's what you should do, too. A funny thing happens once in a while - a fellow performer comes up to me after a show and asks if he can use one of my lines or bits. He usually looks puzzled when I reply, "Why not? I stole it from you in the first place!"

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PRELIMINARY TESTS The preliminary tests, apart from creating total audience involvement, serve as a self-selection mechanism for those who wish to participate in the program. Since the people who respond most dramatically to these tests invariably are among the volunteers who will later take seats on the stage, the preliminary tests also give the performer his first look at those individuals best suited to play starring roles later in the show. FOREFINGERS DRAWN TOGETHER – HANDS LOCKED SOUND FILE This is the test I use at the end of the opening talk. The sound file contains my basic approach. It also serves to illustrate the right way and the wrong way to suggest to a subject that he or she cannot do something, regardless of how hard they try (open their eyes, remember their name, unlock their hands, etc.) It all comes down to the words you use. When you see a hypnotist having too many failures with this type of suggestion, it is invariably because he's wording it wrong. He's probably using the word "can't" or "cannot." A negative suggestion (i.e. "you can't) shouldn't actually contain a negative. Listen to the sound file for this section and you'll hear me giving a negative suggestion with positive words. The wrong way: You cannot take them apart, no matter how hard you try. Try and pull them apart. You cannot. That's too much of a direct challenge and it completely fails to take advantage of the subject's imaginative abilities. The right way: You try to take them apart and the harder you try the tighter they are stuck together when you try to take them apart they keep getting tighter go ahead and try and feel them get tighter . . . (The lack of punctuation is intentional. Contradictory suggestions should be delivered at an even pace without any pauses.) Now let's take a closer look at what is actually going on here and why a large number of participants will successfully respond to the test. 26

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First, in the "magnetic forefingers" segment, the subject is instructed to focus his or her attention on three things at the same time. (Your hands are locked tightly together, your forefingers are spread apart, and you're stretching both of your arms toward me.) The hypnotist now adds a contradictory "negative" suggestion to the mix. (You try to keep your fingers apart but they are drawn closer together as you keep your arms stretched out toward me with your forefingers separated and your hands locked tight you feel your forefingers drawn magnetically together.) The exact wording is not critical, as long as you stick with positive words and several simultaneous points of attention. Listen to the sound file and pretend you are a participant. You'll experience for yourself why it's so difficult for a cooperative spectator to keep her fingers apart or to later separate her hands. Is it hypnosis? No. Does it indicate a person's susceptibility to suggestion? Maybe. Does it serve the purpose for which it is intended? Yep.

INDUCTION SOUND FILE The induction that follows is somewhat longer than absolutely necessary. With a very responsive group you will be able to abbreviate it considerably. Ignore for a moment what I said earlier about cold cueing, mental coercion and hypno tricks. This is a legitimate, and very effective induction, yet it is directed to highly imaginative subjects, who will tend to respond favorably whether or not they actually achieve a hypnotic state. As long as they think they are being hypnotized, their own minds will do the rest. Present it confidently and professionally and you will have successfully prepared all of the subjects you will need for the rest of the show. It's been estimated that about twenty to twenty-five percent of any group of cooperative volunteers will successfully pass the 'checks' that follow the induction. With proper attention to technique and the psychological factors outlined thus far, you should have no problem doubling that 27

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number. I rarely have less than a fifty percent success rate. (The subjects have self-selected themselves after being properly primed, remember?) It will, of course, be necessary for you to dismiss the unresponsive subjects. I'll explain how to do that later.

Note that the stage lights are dimmed during the induction with the exception of the blue light facing the audience. The lights come back up, and the blue light is extinguished, at the conclusion of the main induction when the subjects are told to open their eyes on the count of three. Before you begin the induction proper, ask those who came up with a friend or spouse to raise their hands. Separate them. Invite the volunteers to loosen their collars and any other items of clothing that may be uncomfortably tight. As you read the induction, listen to the sound file. Pay particular attention to the rhythm and tone and watch for the spots where I deviate from the script. The deviations are adjustments that are made as I tailor my words to the responsiveness of the subjects. You are about to have a very relaxing and enjoyable experience. Uncross your legs and sit with your feet flat on the floor, hands on your lap, palms facing upward. Let your hands and your fingers go limp. In just a moment you are going to fix all of your attention on an imaginary spot right here between my eyes. (Turn to audience and tell them that if they would like to participate to focus their attention on the blue light) (Once again face the volunteers) Now fix your attention on a spot directly between my eyes and just stare at that spot. Remain perfectly still. Now, as I count to three, take a deep breath and fill up your lungs. One, two, three. Hold it. And now as I count from three back to one exhale slowly. Three, two, one.

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS Now as I count to four, take an even deeper breath. One, two, three, four. Take in all the air that your lungs can hold. Hold it . . . and as I count backward from four to one, exhale slowly. Four, three, two, one. Now, let your eyelids close. Now, your eyes are closed. Please leave them closed until I ask you to open them again. Now, I want you to mentally picture and imagine that you are looking at your toes. Imagine that they are relaxing. And now turn the muscles in your toes loose. Let them grow limp. Now, as the muscles begin to relax, just let your mind relax, too. Let your mind drift where it will. Let your mind drift off to pleasant scenes in your imagination. And now, let the relaxation move on up, into your ankles. From the ankles and all the way up to your knees. Your calf muscles begin to grow loose and limp -heavy, and so relaxed. All of your tensions are fading away. You're relaxing more with each easy breath that you take. Begin breathing more deeply, now, just as you breathe each night, when you are deeply and soundly asleep. Imagine that you can see your breath as a white mist, coming from your nostrils. Each and every time that you exhale this white mist, you are freeing yourself of tension, and going deeper, deeper into drowsy relaxation. Now, from your knees, all the way to your hips, the long thigh muscles are turning loose, easing off, and just relaxing now. Now, as those muscles relax, just let go a little more, and gently, calmly, easily, drift on over, into a pleasant state of relaxation. You're relaxing more with each easy breath that you take. With each sound that you hear. Each sound carries you deeper, deeper and sounder in sleep. Now, the relaxation moves on up into your body. Each muscle and nerve lets loose the tensions, relaxing. You're drifting down, deeper and deeper in sleep. Down, deeper in slumber. Your stomach is relaxed and now your chest muscles grow limp and loose, and so relaxed. All of your tensions are fading away. You're relaxing now. With each beat of your heart you go deeper and deeper to sleep.

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Into the neck, the muscles let go. All around the neck, the muscles relax, just as they relax each night when you are deep and soundly asleep. Turn them all loose, and go deeper and deeper to sleep. And the wave of relaxation spreads out into the broad muscles of the back. All across the small of the back. All across the back of the shoulders. Turn loose every muscle and every nerve in the back, and go deeper and deeper in sleep. Into the shoulder, the muscles let go. From the shoulders, down to the elbows of both arms. The upper arm muscles are turning loose, easing off, and just relaxing now. From the elbows, down to the wrists on both arms, the forearm muscles grow limp and lazy. From the wrists to the fingertips of both hands, each muscle and nerve lets loose the tensions, relaxing, you're drifting down. Deeper and deeper in sleep. Go to sleep now. All around your eyes, the muscles are heavy, and so relaxed. Even your eyebrows are relaxing now. Across the forehead, the muscles smooth out. Across the top of the skull. Down the back of the neck. Down through the temples, back around the ears, all of the muscles are loose and relaxed. Your entire body is being bathed in a warm sensation of complete and utter relaxation. Now you are completely relaxed. Each muscle and nerve in your body is loose and limp and relaxed. And now it is your subconscious mind that is listening. Your subconscious mind knows and because your subconscious mind knows, your conscious mind can stay asleep while your subconscious mind stays wide awake. Your subconscious mind remembers everything that you need to know and you can let your subconscious mind listen and remember while your conscious mind sleeps and forgets. Keep your eyes closed, and listen with your subconscious mind, and when you're listening very, very carefully, your head can nod "yes". As you continue to listen with your subconscious mind, your conscious mind sleeps deeper and deeper. Let your conscious mind stay deeply asleep, as your subconscious mind listens to my voice.

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS ALTERNATE INDUCTION SOUND FILE In just a moment I will count from one to twenty. As I do, a light, easy, pleasant feeling will move into your right hand and into your right arm. As I continue counting, that feeling will grow stronger. Now when you feel the movement in your right hand and arm, don't try to resist. You could resist if you chose but that is not why you are here. Let your subconscious listen and do its work. One - As you focus on your right hand, a feeling of lightness moves into the tips of your fingers. Two - The feeling is spreading all around your fingertips. Three - It is moving up to the first joint of the fingers. Four - The lightness is spreading across the back of your hand. Five - There are slight movements in your fingers now. Six - The light sensation continues to spread, and Seven - Spreading over and into your thumb. Eight - Moving now all through your hand. Nine - The lightness spreads up and into your wrist. As the feeling of lightness grows in your right hand, you notice that your left hand is feeling heavier and heavier in comparison. Ten - Your right hand grows lighter and lighter now with each number I count; just as light as a balloon on a string it is rising and floating toward the ceiling and by the time I reach the count of twenty it will be pointing at the ceiling. Eleven - The light sensation has moved completely over your right hand and wrist and into your forearm. Twelve - Your right arm is getting lighter and Thirteen - As your hand and arm begin to rise off your lap, notice that your left hand has grown so heavy, it feels as though it were made of stone. Fourteen - Your right arm is beginning to lift.

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Fifteen - It's moving, lifting, rising and floating. Sixteen - Your arm is moving and lifting and rising. And as your arm is lifting, you're going deeper and deeper to sleep. Seventeen - Your arm continues moving, lifting and rising now until it is over your head as if a balloon is pulling it to the ceiling. Eighteen - And now your arm is beginning to feel a bit heavy again. As if the air is leaking from the balloon and your arm is floating back down. Nineteen - Your hand is starting to come down now as your arm gets heavier and heavier. Twenty - Your hand is coming down to rest on your lap as it gets heavier and heavier and as it reaches your lap it so heavy. So heavy but totally relaxed. Your hand is heavy and totally relaxed now in your lap. When you feel me lift your arm it just becomes more and more relaxed as you go deeper and deeper to sleep. At the touch of my hand your hand is heavy and totally relaxed. Repeat ad libitum as you lift each subject's right hand by the wrist. Lift it just a few inches and let go. The hand should fall limply back to the lap if the subject has accepted your suggestions. If the hand is rigid tell the subject once more that his/her hand is heavy and completely relaxed. Lift the hand by the wrist again and let go. If it doesn't fall limply, mentally mark the subject for dismissal. (See "A NOTE ON DISMISSALS" on the next page.) I'm now going to speak a few words to the audience. As you hear me speak to them you will go deeper and deeper to sleep. (Turn to audience) Most of the people on stage have now entered a state of hypnosis. I have no way of knowing how deeply each of them has gone under until I've had a chance to check them individually. If there is anyone sitting in the audience who appears to have gone into trance, I'll ask you to point them out to me after the lights come back up. (Or " to one of my assistants" if applicable). In the meantime just let them relax. In just a moment the stage lights will come back up and I will have the subjects on stage open their eyes. They will appear to be fully awake, yet they will still be in a hypnotic state. When the lights come back up, your servers will once again be available for you and you no longer need to remain quiet. The subjects will be 32

THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS aware of the sights and sounds around them but will remain focused on my voice as they experience the suggestions I will be giving to them. (To the subjects) And now you are completely relaxed. You have entered a very pleasant state of mind. In just a moment the lights are going to come back up and I'm going to count from one to three. When I get to three you will open your eyes. When you open your eyes you will remain in trance. The moment you hear me say," DEEP ASLEEP," your eyes will close and you will relax completely and go deeply asleep once again, as your subconscious mind remains completely focused on the sound of my voice. When I reach the count of three your eyes will open. One, two, three. Open your eyes. Very, very good. Okay, most of you did very well but a few of you didn't quite get there. It doesn't mean that you can't be hypnotized, merely that you were either distracted or require a longer or modified induction procedure. I encourage all of you to come back and try again another time, and please check with me after the show so that I can make sure that you are completely clear of any hypnotic influence. (Dismiss non-responsive subjects.) The rest of you all seem to have done very well. Now we'll see how well… A NOTE ON DISMISSALS During the induction it is essential that you watch the reactions of all of the subjects who are seated on the stage before you. After the group induction and before you have the subjects open their eyes, you will have already decided which subjects you will send back to their seats (those whose arms didn't move and/or whose hands did not drop limply back into their laps). When dismissing them, it is important to point out that it is not their fault. Remember, you implied earlier that people who couldn't be hypnotized might be unimaginative, unintelligent, or mentally impaired. You want to insure those people who are dismissed that they DON'T fall into these categories.

THE FORKING PATH At this point there are two distinct routes the operator can take. With the group induction over and the subjects sitting in their chairs with their eyes open, he will usually approach them individually and perform what is

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called a "check." Ostensibly, his purpose is to see how deeply they've been hypnotized, actually the check is simply a test to see how well they will comply with suggestions given to them. Many use the "Eyes Shut Test", which I'll describe in a moment. This is where a hypnotist can run into a problem I refer to as "The Domino Effect." He goes to the first subject and does the "Eyes Shut Test". Normally, it works and the subject cannot open his or her eyes. (Some performers add a little variety to this by suggesting to alternate subjects that they will be unable to remember their names.) These tests are effective and look very good to the audience, PROVIDED THAT THE FIRST SUBJECT RESPONDS PROPERLY TO THE SUGGESTION. A positive response by the first subject will elicit "oohs" and "aahs" from the audience and the others (hearing the positive reinforcement) will usually follow suit. But when the first spectator does open his or her eyes, the performer has just blown what the audience sees as his opening effect. He dismisses the subject and moves on to the next one. The odds are now pretty good that the second spectator will fail to respond as well. Same with the third and fourth etc. Sooner or later someone will respond, but the "domino effect" can be a painful thing for an audience to watch, and, worse yet, makes it much more difficult for the performer to get good responses in the routines that make up the main part of the show. An alternative method of presenting the "Eyes Shut" test takes advantage of an old hypnotic trick. If used as a "second attempt" on a subject who fails, it can succeed in getting things back on track. This approach, coupled with a misdirective use of imagery, will be described momentarily.' There is an entirely different path the hypnotist can take, however. Since the success of the show relies as much, if not more, on compliance rather than hypnosis, the "checks" can be replaced with a dramatic and effective application of the so-called "instant induction." (Although, since it is used after the group induction, it perhaps should be called an "instant reinduction.") Delivered properly ALL of the subjects will apparently respond to the performer's command, "Sleep!" The audience will respond with as many "oohs" and "aahs" as those that greet the successful "Eyes Shut" test, and the dangers of "the domino effect" are avoided. [There will, of course, still be subjects who aren't as responsive as others and who may, at the performer's discretion be dismissed as the show goes on. The point is, that any lack of responsiveness will not be apparent at this critical point in the

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS program because everyone will apparently be suddenly put "under" with the instant technique.]

If the performer chooses to do a standard check, he approaches the first subject seated in the front row, and has her shut her eyes as described in "The Eyes Shut" test (infra). At the successful (hopefully) conclusion of the test, the performer tells her to go "Deep asleep!" He then repeats with the rest of the subjects, putting the successful ones to sleep, and diplomatically dismissing those who are unresponsive. If he chooses to use the "instant re-induction", the hypnotist tells all of the subjects to once again look at a spot between his eyes, and then tells them that they feel their eyelids getting heavier. Then, "Just let them close and go back to sleep. Deep sleep." Note that he tells them to just let their eyes close. Subjects can interpret it as a command or simply as a request. Either way they will comply. He approaches the first subject and touches her on the forehead, saying, "I'm now talking only to the person whose forehead I am touching. The person whose forehead I am now touching will open her eyes. The rest of you will keep your eyes closed and go deeper and deeper asleep." He then proceeds as described in the "Instant Induction" (infra).

THE CHECK EYES SHUT TEST SOUND FILE Approach the first spectator, introduce yourself, ask for her name and engage in a little small talk about how she feels, etc., and then put your middle finger or thumb on the bridge of her nose and apply slight pressure. Okay, let your eyes close now. I'm going to count from five down to one. As I do, imagine that your eyelids are locked tightly shut. Five, your eyelids are pressing together tightly. Four, pressing tightly together and sealing shut. Three, sealing tightly shut as if they're glued together.

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Two, they're locked shut. The more you try to open them, the tighter they're locking closed. Try to open your eyelids now and find them locking tighter and tighter. That's fine. You can stop trying now. Just relax and go to sleep. Deep asleep. Once again, as in the "hands locked test" it is important that you never tell the subject she CAN'T open her eyes. RIGHT: The more you try to open them, the tighter they're locking closed. WRONG: Try to open your eyes. You can't open them. Handled this way you should have minimal problems with the test. If, however, the subject's eyes pop open, all is not lost. If the subject appeared to struggle before her eyes opened, just say, "It was hard, wasn't it? Just relax and let them close again and sleep. Go deep asleep." In other words, you continue as if she hadn't been able to open her eyes at all. If, on the other hand, her eyes just effortlessly popped open, you have just discovered that this is a subject who is probably not going to work out. You have two choices. You can dismiss her politely as described earlier, or, if you get this result with the first spectator, you can avoid a potential "domino effect" by continuing with the following "misdirection method."

MISDIRECTION METHOD OF EYES SHUT TEST SOUND FILE This is a somewhat more subtle version of the old hypno trick in which the performer has the spectator try to open her eyes while her eyeballs are looking upward under the lids - usually at an imaginary spot on the forehead. It is, of course, impossible to open the eyelids while looking upward. Some authors and stage hypnotists suggest that "trick" tests of this nature, along with the use of stooges, fake catalepsy, etc., have no place in the modern stage hypnosis show. [I asked Doctor Bob about this and he said, "There's nothing wrong with that kind of material. Back in the old days it was sensational stuff. But too many people started using it. It's always been that way, not just in stage hypnosis, but in all of show business. Somebody comes up with a new angle and makes a hit with it. He stands out and rises to the top because he's doing something

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS different. Then come the wannabees who figure they should do something different too. So they copy the first guy. "And what was original becomes standard stuff. Now everybody starts doing it and pretty soon it's a cliché. And when the market chokes to death because there are too many look-alikes doing the same thing, do you think they blame themselves? Of course not, they blame the material!"]

Have the subject close his/her eyes and suggest that he/she imagine a scene - an outdoor scene with all its details, a favorite place, etc. Now open your eyes. Could you see all that clearly as a mental picture? That means you have a good imagination, because you were able to visualize many different things in the picture. Now let's see how well you can imagine a single object. This time when you close your eyes, imagine that you're sitting outside at night and your looking up at a full moon. To help you to see the full moon, just roll your eyeballs back up, as you keep your eyelids closed. Roll your eyeballs backup in your head as if you could see the full moon right up here (Touch subject's forehead lightly) in the center of your forehead. Keep staring at the moon and as you do your eyelids lock tightly closed the more you try to open them the tighter they are locking closed try now to open your eyelids they're locking tighter and tighter, now stop trying, just relax and sleep. Let every muscle in your body go limp. Breathe easily and deeply and sleep, deep asleep."

INSTANT INDUCTION The instant induction, or re-induction, works well as either a substitute for the "eyes shut" check, or as a technique to use on members of the audience who look like they'd make good subjects and who were responsive during the group induction. Since the key to its effectiveness is surprise, the instant induction (which is used on one subject at a time) should be done off-microphone and while the other subjects' eyes are closed. (While the others might well hear what is going on, they won't see what is actually happening and will be equally surprised when the induction is performed on them.) Clinical hypnotists will tell you that the instant induction I am about to describe will indeed take a subject into a deep state of hypnosis instantly. 37

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Whether or not it actually takes the subject into a deep trance is irrelevant for our purposes. At the conclusion of the procedure the subject will be slumped forward in her chair with her eyes shut. And it happens so suddenly that it is very impressive to an audience. There are four steps to the instant induction. You must 1) Focus your subject's attention on two different tasks simultaneously, 2) Instantly redirect her attention (usually with a startling stimulus), 3) At the same time giving the command, "Sleep," and instantly following with 4) A suggestion to "Relax and let yourself go deep asleep." The following sequence accomplishes all of the steps perfectly: Hold out your right hand, palm up, and instruct the subject to press down on it with her left hand. The subject's attention is focused on her hand pressing down on yours. While she is pressing down, tell her to tilt her head back slightly and close her eyes. This gives her two tasks to focus on at the same time and accomplishes the goal of step one. While the subject is pressing down on your hand, suddenly drop your hand down and away. This will cause the subject's hand to suddenly drop down and her body will tilt forward. At the same time put your left hand on her shoulder and pull her forward. (This is very startling and disorienting and meets the requirements of step two.) Simultaneously, give the firm command "Sleep!" Not a request – a firmly delivered and authoritative command. Since the subject is in a very suggestible state in the instant following the sudden removal of your hand, her first reaction will be to obey. (Step three) Immediately bend over so you can speak softly into her ear. "Just go limp and relax. Close your eyes and let yourself go to sleep. Deep asleep." Once again not that, following the command, the subject is quietly told to just close her eyes and let herself go to sleep. This takes the edge off the startling and disorienting effect and eases her into taking the path of least resistance by simply doing as you say. I highly recommend that you learn and use this technique. If you have never seen an instant induction before you will be very surprised when you discover how effective it is. The subject really doesn't have a chance. 38

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NOTE: Despite what many have said to the contrary, there is nothing "violent" about an instant induction. It's merely a sudden and startling redirection of attention that produces, for a brief moment, a highly suggestible state.

THREE ROUTINES The opening serves to get the imaginative extroverts on stage, and the induction provides them with a socially acceptable "license" to show off. The audience reaction to successful "checks" and "re-inductions" (usually laughter and/or gasps of astonishment) provides all of the encouragement most of the subjects will need to respond to your suggestions in increasingly uninhibited and creative ways. Since the opening and induction also served to weed out most of the unsuitable subjects, the only other significant group on stage will consist of those who actually managed to enter a state of hypnosis and those who only think they have. (You can make the argument that thinking you're hypnotized is the same as actually being hypnotized, but see the material in the Appendix .) The "hypnotized" group is the one you are likely to lose if you move too quickly into the outrageous individual or group impersonations, which generally are the centerpieces of a stage hypnosis demonstration. Technically speaking, the key is to lead all of the subjects through progressively less inhibited group routines, while reserving bits that involve only one or a few subjects to those who have demonstrated compliant yet uninhibited extroversion. (In other words, only the showoffs who can follow directions are allowed to do "single acts." Everybody else stays in the chorus.) The following sequence of three routines illustrates an effective progression designed to minimize the number of subjects who "snap out of it" or "get lost" along the way, while at the same time encouraging increasingly outrageous behavior among the less inhibited "naturals."

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1) COLD/HOT Premise: The subjects take a trip to the North Pole. They experience and react to the extreme cold. They are then transported to Death Valley and feel extreme heat, prompting them to loosen and even try to remove articles of clothing. Storm clouds gather above and a sudden cloudburst relieves the effects of the heat. Now, however, the subjects struggle to keep dry. They finally escape the elements as they are transported to a movie theater, where the show is about to begin. The last suggestion leads into the next routine, "Happy/Sad." If you were to simply recite the suggestions just outlined, you'd have a tough time getting the subjects to react appropriately. Sound files accompany this and the "Happy/Sad" routine. They illustrate the suggestive and vocal techniques that are used as a hypnotic showman shifts through his multiple roles of "scientific demonstrator", "straight man," and "ringmaster." The hypnotist's ability to lead by effectively meeting the acting demands of each of these roles is, by the way, the real secret behind a successful and truly entertaining hypnosis show.

It's not the words and suggestions alone that get the subjects to react, it's also the infectious manner in which they are delivered. Here's the beginning of a script based on the premise outlined above. As the routine begins, the subjects are in trance, "deep asleep," with their eyes closed. At the count of three I'm going to transport you to the North Pole. Imagine yourself surrounded by an endless plain of snow and ice. And it's so, so, cold. One, two, three! And here you are at the North Pole. And guess what? You forgot to wear a coat and it's twenty degrees below zero! It's so cold. So, so cold. Your hands are so cold you need to shake them to keep the circulation going. And your toes. They're starting to freeze. If you stomp your feet you might be able to hold off the frostbite. So cold. So, so cold . . .

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS (Presentational note: While, technically, you can have the subjects open their eyes at the start of the sequence without losing the naturally responsive subjects, it is not a very good idea this early in the program. It could very likely increase their inhibitions, and snap the "hypnotized" group right out of it. Later on, when the subjects are well into the spirit of the show – in the present sequence that takes place in routine #3, "Time for a Drink," when they all stand up and join each other in "drunken" song, most of them will not be the least bit fazed by the stage environment or their view of the audience.) You can see how the premise is translated into effective suggestions, but if the performer remains in the "scientific demonstrator" role he played in the group tests and the induction, the subjects' responsiveness will probably be minimal. They might twitch around a bit as they mentally experience the suggested scenario, but that's not exactly the type of "entertainment" the audience came to see. The performer must not only influence the volunteers' subjective experiences, but he must get them to act out the scenario in the broadly comedic fashion the audience expects. To do this, he must cast aside the "scientific demonstrator" role and become the "straight man" and/or "ringmaster." The following sound file is a complete presentation of the "Cold/Hot" scenario. It not only illustrates the role shifts, but serves as an example of the rather simple and easy to follow suggestions that should be given early in the show in order to prep the subjects for the more unihibited conduct that will be expected of them later in the program. (Presentational note: When I use this routine in my own show, two of my assistants are positioned upstage right and upstage left – behind and to either side of the seated volunteers. Each of them is equipped with a squirt gun. When the suggestion is given that it is starting to rain, they squirt water up into the air over the heads of the subjects (not directly at them). When it comes down, the subjects experience just how powerful hypnotic suggestions can be. (!) Not only is this an effective bit of positive reinforcement, but the audiences find it to be pretty funny as well.) COLD/HOT HAPPY/SAD SOUND FILE

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2) HAPPY/SAD Premise: While "Happy/Sad" is often presented as stand-alone group routine, here it is presented as a "logical" continuation of the "Cold/Hot" sequence. The subjects have just been transported into a movie theater. And just in time, too, for the funniest move they have ever seen in their lives has just begun. It's so very, very funny that they can't hold their laughter back. But as quickly as it started it fades from the screen and the second feature begins. It is the absolutely the saddest and most tear-jerking film ever made. As they watch it they cannot help but let their own emotions, and tears, pour forth. The sound file illustrates the hypnotist's continuing role as ringmaster in this distinctly bipolar demonstration.

NOTE: To prevent the chaos that would otherwise arise, it is imperative that you completely remove any group or individual suggestions at the completion of each routine or sequence of connected routines. Simply tell them that the suggested situation is gone. Direct them to close their eyes and go back to sleep.

Apart from their value in "loosening" up the subjects inhibitions, the first two routines serve an important function that many hypnotists seem to overlook. They have accustomed – and silently encouraged - the subjects to react both physically (Cold/Hot) and emotionally (Happy/Sad) to the suggestions that will be given to them throughout the rest of the program. The next routine, "Time for a Drink," elicits a strongly imaginative spiritual response, or perhaps more accurately, a strong response to imaginary spirits. It marks the point where the show dumps its initial pretext of being a purely educational, albeit amusing demonstration of mental phenomena, and finally takes the direct dive into the low comedy the audience has been waiting for.

Those who want an education go to schools and universities. Those who want entertainment go to concerts and shows. But those who appreciate the educational value of stepping out and partying down go to Doctor Bob's Hypnosis Show!

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS 3) TIME FOR A DRINK This routine is representative of many similar, and equally hilarious, sequences that involve the entire group of subjects. Placed here, after the Happy/Sad bit, it serves to give the subjects the feeling that they are members of a special group. The strength that is found in numbers helps them to relax their inhibitions as they engage in the show's first "eyes open" routine. The subjects are seated with their eyes still closed. The hypnotist tells them that they've been such excellent subjects that he'd like to reward them all with a drink. So if you'd like to share a drink with me just hold out your hands and I'll give each of you a drink. If you don't drink, don't hold out your hand, just drift deeper and deeper to sleep as the rest of us share a toast. The last request avoids the awkward situation that might otherwise arise if one of your subjects doesn't drink or happens to be a recovering alcoholic. The subjects hold out their hands and the hypnotist goes down the line, handing each of them an imaginary glass. He cautions them not to drink until everyone has received a glass. On the hypnotist's cue, they all down their imaginary beverages. The hypnotist remarks that it tasted pretty good, and asks if anyone would like another. You probably already know where it goes from here. The performer purposely starts to slur his own words as he pours round after round into the imaginary glasses. Finally, he says something like TIME FOR A DRINK SOUND FILE We are having such a wonderful time! Isn't this fun? I think we should all stand up and sing! Put your glasses down on the floor. When I count to three you are all going to open your eyes, stand up and form a line in front of the chairs. Then you'll all join hands and sing that old favorite "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." That's right, on the count of three you'll open your eyes, try to stand up, form a line and we'll all sing together. One, two three! Eyes open. Stand up and form a

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pile – I mean a line- and we'll all sing "Let Me Call You Sweetheart." Boy those drinks were good. Better hang on to someone if you're feeling as dizzy as I am. The "Time for a Drink" sound file contains this portion of the script. It illustrates a style of delivery that encourages uninhibited response. The suggestions virtually guarantee that forming a line isn't going to be an easy task. The better subjects will be staggering as they try to move around and, very often, everyone will start falling on top of one another before they finally manage to hold each other up and form a line. The hypnotist leads them in song; singing as if he is half loaded himself. When they are done singing the hypnotist tells everyone that on the count of three he will clap his hands and they will all be instantly sober and rather puzzled by what just happened. He then asks them to return to their seats and let their eyes close as they go back to sleep.

The rest of the "Routines" part of the show consists of alternating single and group routines. The delivery techniques just described will enable you to present any of the hundreds of standard hypnotism routines effectively, or, better yet, to perform the original ones you write for yourself. (You might also check out the works I recommended on page 3 in my "Important Preliminary Note") The typical show generally culminates with post hypnotic suggestions, awakening the group, the performer's closing remarks and a post show check of the subjects.

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POST HYPNOTIC SUGGESTIONS SOUND FILE Post hypnotic suggestions are commonly given to the subjects near the end of the program, just before they are awakened - and for a very good reason. Whether the performer gives different post hypnotic suggestions to several spectators or a single suggestion to the entire group, the result is the same. Post hypnotics create a strong sense of anticipation in the audience that is given hilarious release when the subjects finally respond. The sound file provides a generic example of the type of suggestion that elicits an effective and memorable response.

WAKING THE SUBJECTS SOUND FILE Now, I'm going to count from one to five, and then I'll say, "Fully awake." At the count of five, your eyes will open, and you'll be fully awake, feeling calm, rested, refreshed and relaxed. Here we go One - slowly, calmly, easily you're beginning to awaken and come to full awareness once again. Two - every part of your body is completely relaxed, and you feel wonderfully good. Three - from head to toe, you are feeling perfect in every way. Calm and serene. Physically and mentally perfect in every way Four - your eyes begin to feel clear and refreshed. On the next number I count, your eyelids open, fully awake, feeling calm, rested, refreshed, relaxed and full of energy. Five - You're fully awake now. Eyes open. Wide awake and feeling great.

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CLOSING Obviously, your closing remarks will have to be tailored to your show. The following is just a generic example of an effective wrap-up. In just a moment I'm going to let you return to your seats, but first I'd like to ask – and this is very important – that in just about ten minutes you meet with me at (the back of the room, near the exit, etc.) so that I can make certain that all hypnotic suggestions have been positively cleared from your minds. It'll only take a minute or so and I'll also be giving each and every one of you a special token of my appreciation for your participation in tonight's program. (The gifts can be the ever-popular hypno disks – personalized, of course, with your own logo or ad on the back, or, if you like, a lifetime free pass to your future shows. The latter is an especially good idea since they'll be sure to bring paying guests with them when they return to see you again.) The performer turns to the audience And now, how about a nice round of applause for the stars of our show as they return to their seats. They deserve it even though they may not have any idea what you're applauding for. Your assistants should be stationed nearby to return eyeglasses, etc., and to provide any other assistance required. Lead the applause until the subjects have all reached their seats. If you've given any post hypnotic suggestions such as the one suggested in the sound file, now's the time to weave the trigger word(s) into your closing lines. For example: I'd like to offer my special thanks . . . Pause while the subjects respond to the trigger word by jumping out of their seats and shouting how sexy they are – or whatever else you may have suggested. Stare at them disapprovingly as if you are shocked at their conduct. As I was saying, I'd like to say "thank you" to everyone who made tonight's program possible. Be sure to introduce and compliment the wait staff and the bartenders as well as your own assistants. And, if you are offering hypnosis tapes, etc.

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THE REAL WORK OF STAGE HYPNOSIS for sale, now's the time to plug them and let the audience know where the sales table is located. And finally, thanks to all of you for stopping by tonight. And remember . . . This is where you might want to deliver a memorable tagline as your closing music comes on softly and then crescendos up for an effective applause cue. CURTAIN

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APPENDIX SIGNS OF TRANCE As I said in the text, in a performance of stage hypnotism, most of the best subjects are simply imaginative extroverts who have accepted the pretence of a hypnotic trance as a socially acceptable excuse for showing off. Some subjects, however, may actually be in a hypnotic trance to one degree or another. Signs of a genuine trance, however, are not indicative of how entertaining the subject will be to the rest of the audience. I merely provide them to you so that you may give extra attention to these individuals after the show, to make sure that any remnants of your suggestions have been removed, or "cleared", before they go home. The following are generally accepted to be outward signs of a hypnotic state and may help you to identify them. A hypnotized subject will usually show one or more of these signs: Rapid Eye Movement (REM)"Fluttering of the eyelids" when the eyes are closed. Reddening of the eyes This phenomenon is attributed to the relaxation of the muscles in the eyes, allowing a greater flow of blood through the veins. Eyes Rolling Back Some subjects will experience their eyes rolling back in their head. It will appear as if the subject is looking up through the top of his head.

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