When Hypnosis Goes Wrong - Sick Note

As the New year is fast approaching I thought I spend this week's blog post sharing a story that happened to me during a show some months ago. Sometimes, shows don't always go to plan, people are unpredictable and so are the outcomes that you experience during those shows.

I was performing a show at a local pub and there were only 20-30 people in watching the show that evening. I started as I usually would with my pre-talk followed by a list of the people that shouldn't volunteer including those under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

I had about 4-5 volunteers which I was more than happy with given the circumstances and I proceeded in the normal way with a couple of suggestibility tests followed by a rapid progressive induction which I like to perform at stage shows to add to the theatre.

I was already experiencing some phenomena with a couple of the subjects and as the induction started there was one in particular who was already performing fantastically. This particular volunteer started falling into the woman next to him and I remember thinking to myself 'this is going to be an easy show'.

I couldn't have been more wrong, I picked the volunteer up and sat him back in his seat but, before long he was falling back in to the lap of the woman next to him. Part of me was thinking perhaps he was faking it however, he wasn't laughing which is the usual response you'd get from someone that is socially compliant.

A couple of minutes later the guy projectile vomited barely missing my shoes and the person next to him. Before I had a chance to check he was OK he started to vomit again. Luckily, I had a colleague on hand who was able to remove the subject from the line up and check he was OK off to the side whilst I was able to continue with the show.

I'm not sure how but, I managed to keep my composure and continued to carry on with the induction whilst, cleaning sick with the other hand!!

I remember being concerned about the welfare of the volunteer whilst at the same time being worried about the rest of the show as it was tough with the guy barely missing the woman next to him.

As it happens, he was fine and he also came to watch the remainder of the show after he got himself changed. It transpired that he'd been drinking for the majority of the day.

Remember, it's always good to have someone with you to assist when you might need an extra set of hands and you can choose your volunteers but, they might just surprise you!!

Have a great New Year from the Mapping Minds Team :)