What do you get when you combine random audience members, hypnosis, and improv? Ninety minutes of completely unpredictable, hilarious, and mind-blowing entertainment that’s truly unlike anything you’ve seen before. Famed hypnotist Asad Mecci and legendary comedic actor Colin Mochrie (Whose Line is it Anyway?) have teamed up for HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis, combining their talents for one unforgettable show that leaves the audience both stunned and with a rush from laughing so hard. You don’t want to miss this one.
Hyprov on now in Toronto at CAA Theatre until April 21st
The Mirvish production takes over Toronto’s CAA Theatre until April 21, continuing to intrigue audiences after its sold-out Canadian tour earlier this year and Off-Broadway run in 2022. The production combines hypnosis and improv for a totally unique experience where the audience members are the stars of the show. There are just a few conditions: they must not know Mecci personally at all and must not be under the influence of drugs or alcohol (so, those who did a pre-show edible need not apply, sorry).
As for Mecci, he says that hypnosis is not an innate ability or a “thing.” Rather, it’s a scientific process that can be learned. “Anyone can learn it, understand it, and apply it,” he says. “Some do it more artfully than others. I was first introduced to hypnosis by a friend who said a dentist, who used hypnosis in his dental practice, hypnotized him to help alleviate the pain he had from a sunburn. From there, I was hooked and learned all I could about the subject. I eventually moved to performing comedy hypnosis shows which lead to the creation of HYPROV, a blend of hypnosis and improv.”
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To kick off the show, Mecci invites any audience members who wish to try their hand at hypnosis – and improv comedy – to the stage. Accompanied by live music, Mecci goes to work to hypnotize this group. Through a series of “experiments” that place these audience members in imaginary scenarios – whether relaxing on a lounge chair in vacation in the scorching sun or driving their new dream cars down the coast, for example – Mecci narrows down this group to those most receptive to hypnosis.
Once the hypnotized group is slimmed down, Mochrie enters the stage. This is when the real fun starts. The quick-witted Canadian actor leads the hypnotized group into hilarious sketches that can get ridiculous, shocking, and cringe-worthy all at once. In the hands of the two experts – and solely crafted from the volunteers’ uninhibited, unconscious minds – each show is a completely unforgettable theatrical experience.
“Aside from an undying respect for me,”
Colin Mochrie, Legendary comedic actor (Whose Line is it Anyway?)
“Aside from an undying respect for me, I hope that we can dispel peoples skepticism about hypnosis. And improv,” says Mochrie on what he hopes the audience takes away from the show. “We are not changing people into improvisors; Asad removes the part of the brain activity that stops them from improvising. The self-critical part that tells you that you can’t do something. The improvisors, though looking like they are asleep, are aware the entire time and react instantly to what Asad and I set up.”
As much as the experience shocks the audience, it also continues to surprise both Mochrie and Mecci. “Night after night, I’m amazed that these people who are hypnotized are able to match wits with Colin,” says Mecci. “These are average people doing extraordinary things. Every night, we are unlocking the creative genius of these people. The hardest thing to do in improv is to improvise songs, but our hypnotized volunteers improvise a duet on the spot with Colin. That is always shocking to me.”
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It’s its unpredictability that continues to give Mochrie a high, even after all these years performing on stage. “I love that every show is a performance for that audience alone,” says Mochrie. “No one will ever see that show again. There is also no guarantee that every show will work. That alone gives you a tremendous rush.”
Because it’s a different show every time, it’s the type of production you could see more than once and get a completely different experience. HYPROV: Improv Under Hypnosis is on now until April 21.
