Comedy Hypnotist Matt Hale’s Random Acts of Mindness @ Megamouth, Yagan Square
Saturday, January 18, 2020
Comedy Hypnotist Matt Hale’s Random Acts of Mindness is a show to reconnect with your inner child and say farewell to the fear of being silly. Hale challenged the audience to play with the power of mind illusion and encouraged everyone to take their imagination by the reins for 60 minutes of laughter. Working purely with volunteers from the crowd, the show offers a thought-provoking (and hilarious) insight into the world of hypnosis.
Right from the get-go, he debunks the concept of hypnotism and briefly discusses the psychology behind it. The venue filled with giggles of agreement each time he told examples of how hypnosis is used in day-to-day life. Yes, highway hypnosis is a thing.
The show starts in a way that presents Hale looking shamelessly ridiculous, easing the nervous tension in the audience, who reacted well to his mini solo dance performance, with some even dancing and singing along. Hale aimed to empower the crowd to take control of their minds and he let people fill up the volunteer seats on their own terms. Within the blink of an eye, it seemed, most of the chairs were filled with eager participants.
From the moment the show began, to Hale’s final funny suggestion, he upheld his pledge of a safe and judgement-free night. He made it his mission to make sure any person who was courageous enough to take on a chair never felt embarrassed. Even when volunteers were singing at the top of their lungs or dancing like no-one was watching, he held his badge of honour and swallowed down any laughter. He always made the volunteers feel celebrated, rather than freaks that people stared and poked fun at.
It was insightful to see that hypnotism doesn’t transform someone with the simple click of a finger. Some volunteers resisted the process and they were unable to be hypnotised, so he kindly sent them off stage. At times, some of the hypnotised volunteers seemed as though they were playing up for the crowd. It was hard to know what level of consciousness everyone was at, but perhaps that is the beauty of hypnotism as each individual reacts differently.
Although the volunteers make the show, the audience did not have time to feel left out and they were always engaged. Due to the fact that the audience were mainly adults, they were dared to tap into an imagination that once came more effortlessly as a child. The entire crowd could experience the illusions of the mind to some extent.
The show flowed smoothly with very few interruptions. Hale wrapped up with the same energy and fun as he started with, maintaining his stamina throughout.
All hilariousness aside, the singing, dancing and fun is a reminder to us all that we can use the power of our thoughts to change our habits. Random Acts of Mindness is a highly recommended FRINGE WORLD show if you want to embrace your silly side and laugh until your belly hurts.
BRITNEY COULSON
