Absolutely No Trance!

I don't know about you other working professionals out there, but every now and then I get a funny feeling about some gigs before they happen!
Recently I was booked for a gig at a hotel north of Aberdeen, and this was one of those cases! On the week leading up to the gig I had this strange feeling, so much so that I confirmed it was on 3 times! even on the morning of the gig before I travelled.
Anyway, I drove the 360 miles there, set up and waited.
And waited.... and waited.... and waited.... The show was advertised to start at 8.30 pm at 8.30 there were 6 paying customers and 4 friends of the owner, we hung on until 10.30, it did not get any better so he paid me and I drove the 360 miles home again!

Too much entertainment!

I recently performed at a little pub in Sittingbourne, Kent. On arrival I found that the pub was tiny and as well as myself they had booked a close up magician, a stand up comedian, a psychic and two doormen!
They were doing the 'night of fun and mystery' as a ticket do at £12 per head, but only about 25 - 30 people turned up.
Lucky for them amongst those that did not turn up were the doormen and the Psychic! (I guess through unforeseen circumstances! "I've always wanted to use that line!") so their bill was not as bad as it could have been!

Group stop smoking therapy

I recently had an unusual request, I mostly do comedy stage hypnosis shows although I am qualified in therapy including N.L.P. (Neuro Linguistic Programming) and Thought Field Therapy. The therapy side of things I prefer to do on a one to one basis although I have done small groups before.
My Unusual request came from a pub in Elsmere Port, they wanted to do a group session for some of their regulars ( with the smoking ban coming in soon!), On the day 28 people attended and one week later 14 had stopped altogether, 6 were only smoking one or two cigarettes a day and not enjoying them, 5 it did not work for and the other 3 the landlady had not been able to get in contact with to find their results.
She has already booked another session for her other customers that did not or could not attend!

stage hypnotist or Voodoo man?

I recently performed at a rugby club presentation night in Taunton in Somerset. After the show I was approached by one young man who introduced himself and told me that he was over here as a player and he originated from Fiji. He told me that he had never seen anything like my show, "It was awesome!" he told me that in his country anything like that was considered 'Voodoo' and only practised by 'Witch Doctors!'

Back on the road again too!

Hi
you may remember, from earlier postings that I had my car stollen, well, I have finally agreed a settlement with my insurance company and got a replacement sorted out.
I have gone for another Chrysler PT cruiser. I like them very much, they are big, loud and American (I have nicknamed mine Sezles!).

Sorry I've been off line for a while!

Hi everyone!
It's good to be back, no thanks to Orange!
I did a little exercise recently (to save myself some money!), I decided to change a few of my suppliers, one was my broadband. Orange promised me a fantastic deal if I switched to them, so I agreed, cancelled my cable broadband, had BT reinstalled, THEN they told me they had made a mistake and they could not actually supply me.
So, I have been on dial up until my new supplier was fully installed! (Isn't dial up awful? is that how we all used to do it?)

My Number one Fan!

I have always been a popular guy, but recently I seem to have made a new 'special friend'.
Recently I told you about my fun with an American Hypnotist who wanted to sue me for 'Loads of Cash!'. Well we seem to have become 'best of friends' he emails me nearly every day now and he is so caring that he checks ALL my websites and posts for me and keeps me right on all things copyright! and bang up to date with the latest technology over there in America.

Popped in Sold out!

There is little else more satisfying than turning up at a venue and seeing the words "Sold Out" written across your posters!
Tonight was no exception, It was my second time at this venue and another capacity crowd which followed on to a great show, roll on number Three! (It's a pity I get paid per performance and not on attendance sometimes!)

Variety is not dead

The start of this week saw me doing four completely different gigs!
First was a charity fundraiser in a local pup for a guy with Leukemia.
Next was a small holiday park, first time there, but made a great impression and got a rebook straight away!
Then a private party for someones 40th birthday, they said I really made the party!
The fourth night took me to one of the top Gay Bars in the country for a very rowdy show, but again they loved it!

Copyright? or copywrong!

Hi
Well it has been an interesting week!
It started by me receiving some assertive and threatening emails from 'an American Hypnotist*' claiming that I had infringed his copyright and that I must remove the offending item or he would have me shut down and sue me for loads of cash!
Well, those of you that know me know that I like nothing more than a good rumble and that I don't like being told what to do by anyone and I am not pushed around easily.
Even at first glance it appeared obvious to me and everyone that I showed the alleged copyright statement to that it could not be copyrightable, but to make sure I had a trip to my solicitor to confirm my suspicions that he was huffing and puffing about nothing.
Plus, even if there had been anything in it, to claim any money at all he would have to prove measurable loss from him to me.
So to bring you all up to date I have informed him of my solicitors' opinion and suggested if he wants he can bring it on!
*hypnotists name withheld to protect the stupid!

Full public liability insurance

Well it's been a long time coming, but I have now secured FULL public liability insurance and I believe that I am the first stage hypnotist in the UK to do so!
The policy I now hold has no exclusions as long as the show is performed within the 1952 hypnotism act.

Hypno no show

On Saturday I was booked to perform an after dinner cabaret stage hypnosis spot, on Arrival at the hotel I find out that they only have 16 booked, but they assure me that they are expecting a big walk up!
The walk up does not happen, 2 don't show up and the 14 are made up of one table of 8 and 3 tables of 2.
After the meal the table of 8 decide they are not stopping as there is not enough atmosphere and no one from the remaining 3 tables wants to take part.
All that remained was to pack up, get paid and go home early!

They stole my props!!

Not my best week!
Last week, someone stole my car on Tuesday night / Wednesday morning. It was recovered on Friday, but minus my Satellite navigation system, my bluetooth headset, a pair of sunglasses, two kids booster seats AND MY BAG OF PROPS!!!
My amplifier and my rack with minidisc, radio mic and mixing desk were still in, but my bag with ballet tutu's, cuddly shark, giant glasses, a stuffed parrot and a duck whistle are gone forever!
The bast**ds also ended up costing me money as I had to cancel my show for Wednesday night!

It's a small world!

Saturday saw me doing a 'No Smoking' hypnotherapy session, I had taken the booking over the phone as usual, nothing strange there! But when my client turned up, it only turned out to be one of my step son's best friends!
He had not realised that I did hypnotherapy as well as the comedy hypnosis shows.
P.S. The session went really well and he left a happy non smoker!

Charity stage hypnosis show

Well, Friday saw a very long drive up to St. Andrews in Scotland to do a dreaded 'Charity' show, but, to my surprise, it was really good fun!
For once it was well organised and well attended and everyone had a great time!
Plus, the next day I got a very nice thank you email from the girls that organised it, saying that they raised over £500 for the charities!

Sell out show! Again!!!

The interest in seeing a stage hypnotist seems to be picking up again!
I have just done a job at a small country pub on the outskirts of Hartlepool and I was pleasantly surprised when I got there and the landlady told me it was going top be a capacity crowd. They had sold all the tickets and had been turning people away.
It was a very small venue and with all these people in it was very difficult to work, but we got a great little show out of it and a rebook!

First trip abroad of the year!

Hi
I have just got back from my first trip abroad this year!
OK, well it was only Guernsey! But it was my first time there and we did sell out AND they have booked me back already!
It was a bit of a flying visit, left my house at 4.30 am, drove to Manchester airport for an early morning flight to the Island, meet the local press, short trip around town, show on the night time, few hours sleep then the alarm is going off at 5.00 am to reverse the journey.
Let's hope I get a bit longer there next time.

They all come back (eventually)!

Hi, Well we all like to get return bookings (don't we?), it shows we are doing something right!
I just got one of my strangest returns of my career. I have just taken a booking for someone's 65th birthday party, nothing too strange in that you may think!
The last time I worked for him was at his 50th birthday party - "He had such a good time he thought he would book me again!"
I guess either he has just stopped laughing or he does not like to rush into things!
Can anyone beat 15 years between shows?

Where has the time gone?

Well, Hello again everyone! Christmas has been and gone so too has new year! Hope you all had a good one! Sorry it's been so long since my last post.
It's a new year in the land of stage hypnosis and the early signs are that things are going to be good! January has just been and gone and bookings were about 50% up!
It's a very quiet start to February, but the end of the month is looking great. Let's hope the rest of the year follows suit!

Well, It's finnally got to that time of year! did the first "Christmas Show" the other night!
Every year this comes around and every year I think I must rehearse and practice the Christmas sketches in advance and every year I forget!
It always ends up with me looking at a mad list and track list from last year and trying to remember what it was that I did last year!
Well, nothing new this year, ten minites before I go on stage I am trying to work out what last years notes meant.
Still, can't have been that bad as they have rebooked me for Feburary!