REVIEW: David Bolton's Hypnosis Show - The Frog And Bucket, Manchester.

As you read these words, you will start to go into trance. All you will be able to think about is how mesmerising this review is and how fascinating David Bolton’s Hypnosis Show is. Yes, last night was a thoroughly entertaining demonstration of hypnosis and the creative possibilities that can come from it.

In a serious manner, Bolton walked into the performance space, immediately setting the mood of anticipation. He explained what hypnosis is: the induction of a state of consciousness in which a person apparently loses the power of voluntary action and is highly responsive to suggestion or direction. The key word here is “apparently”, as Bolton explains hypnosis is actually a “two way process”. The notion that the hypnotist is fully in control of the subject is a classic myth.

Bolton had a relaxed but authoritative performance style, which meant he could easily put people at ease. He exclaimed that if you came up on stage, you would be safe, you would only be doing silly or harmless things, and at worst you’ll fall asleep. Brilliantly, he set up a safe, welcoming, and encouraging environment for the hypnosis to take place. I loved some of the dry humoured asides he delivered too.

To begin with, he performed a common suggestion trick with everyone in the audience. As you would expect, some audience members were more responsive to the suggestion than others. We extended both arms out, for the left hand we were to imagine a huge book was resting on it, the right hand had a giant helium balloon attached to it. For most people, the result was their left hand had lowered significantly, while their right hand had floated up. This trick was a lovely way to involve everyone in the show.

Afterwards, the volunteers that came up onstage went through a relaxing, induction process. Bolton likened the procedure to being at the movies and becoming absorbed in a film; willingly suspending your disbelief. What’s great is that he explained how hypnosis works but didn’t reveal too much. Consequently, the show was still wrapped up in mystery.  

Music helped the subjects to arrive in the hypnotic state, but it also created a sense of atmosphere and tension. From a practical point of view, I think the bar staff could have been quieter in some moments, because after all the show requires a lot of focus from its participants.

As the show progressed, it was extremely fascinating to watch how people reacted to the hypnosis. Especially when people were in a trance and they acted out a scenario but did they genuinely believe it was happening to them, or perhaps they were playing along, or maybe they were in a state of consciousness somewhere in between? Either way, it’s still very interesting. Skilfully, Bolton handled each subject carefully through the different stages of hypnosis. Throughout the show, audience members were eliminated until the most suggestible ones were left.

This show was educative too. I didn’t realise some people were better at responding to physical suggestions and some were stronger at responding to verbal suggestions. Lots of creative suggestions were given to the audience members by Bolton to act out – making the show playful. When speaking to the audience, Bolton always maintained his status as a performer, important in this context, and varied the volume of his voice to great effect.

If you want to see something that is entertaining, fascinating, and mysterious, then go and see this show. “Go and see this show” will now be engraved permanently in your mind, as you stop reading this and come out of your trance in: 3, 2, 1. Awake.

Reviewer – Sam Lowe

On – 26/9/18