Insight: Andre the Hilarious Hypnotist, back on on stage in South Africa 2023

This year- 2023- Andre The Hilarious Hypnotist – is celebrating almost three decades as a stage hypnotist- in South Africa. Andre is touring the Cape and performing at five venues – see box – above -for details. Over the years, I have attended many of the stage hypnotist’s shows. Each performance is different, on account of the volunteers who go on stage. People are invited to participate and Andre culls the gathering on stage, until he is happy with his cohort. He will not for instance accept a person who displays mental health challenges or disturbing behaviour. Andre is also known for stopping subjects who go “too far” and who are embarrassing themselves and perhaps getting too deep into the hypnosis trance.

I featured Andre on TheCapeRobyn in March 2020, for what he thought was his Farewell Tour. He was keen on pursuing other vistas and opportunities but the plan was fluid and subject to change. The post went up March 8, for that tour. Yes, the pandemic was upon us. South Africa went into nationwide lockdown for 21 days – from midnight on Thursday March 26, 2020. Andre’s 2020 tour was scheduled for April and May-June, 2020. Eish. We all know that the live performance industry came to a halt. The tour was cancelled.

During the pandemic, with all avenues of income cut-off, Andre, lived in the UK, for two years. As with many creatives in the live performance industry, his livelihood was crushed. Now he is back – on stage – in the Cape – at five venues. Andre’s shows are fun and entertaining. It never ceases to amaze me how people adore going on stage and how they love being prompted, under hypnosis, to engage in bizarre antics.

My 2020 article on Andre (birth name Andre Grove) included extracts from previous interviews, which took place, when I was writing for newspapers (print- seems so archaic now). Andre’s career as an entertainer goes back to his childhood, when he performed magic and clown shows at children’s parties and events. His career as a stage hypnotist was ignited, after seeing a Max Collie perform- the legendary stage hypnotist. Andre bought a booklet and taught himself stage hypnosis.  He was still at school.

After matric, Andre did his two years in the South African Defence Force- 1988/9. He was stationed in Pretoria.  It was the last two-year intake of conscription in the Old South Africa. Conscription ended in 1991. In the SADF, Andre was placed in the Entertainment Unit. He was “magician and juggler”.  Andre told me in a 2007 interview, that in the army, “there were plenty of opportunities to refine his craft.” He told me that there “was an ample supply of young men who were willing subjects. Andre: “They were good subjects. They were open to suggestion because of the discipline [in the army]. They were used to following orders.” This was “not hypnosis as entertainment”. I find it disturbing to read what went on in the Entertainment Unit. Read more here: https://thecaperobyn.co.za/andre-the-hilarious-hypnotist/

Post his military training, Andre went to university in Pretoria and studied drama, teaching and psychology. He did stage hypnosis on the side but did not envisage competing with Collie. However, following Collie’s death, Jeff Egnos, the producer of Collie, approached Andre and invited him to do a gig as a stage hypnotist. [I have been unable to ascertain when Collie died and Andre does not know- probs around the early 1990s]. An eight week season sold out at the Victory Theatre in Johannesburg 1994 . Andre The Hilarious Hypnotist’ career as a professional as a stage hypnotist was launched. Here he is – 2023- entertaining and delighting people in audience as they watch him take his volunteers through suggestive prompts, while under hypnosis.

❇ Image supplied. Related coverage on the TRC: https://thecaperobyn.co.za/andre-the-hilarious-hypnotist/