(Left: Andre
The Hilarious Hypnotist)
Perennially mesmerising master of SA stage
craft, Andre The Hilarious Hypnotist returns to the province of his birth next
month, for seasons in Pietermaritzburg and Durban.
Twenty six years in any industry is a long
time. But Andre The Hilarious Hypnotist is still going strong – and has no
intention of stopping now. He started his career in Durban. He’d spend the
school holidays touring the various caravan parks up and down the east coast,
plying his trade to holiday-makers, until he was spotted by the then well-known
promoter, Geoff Egnoss, who helped make Andre a household name.
Initially trained under the mentorship of
the late Max Collie, Andre has performed across South Africa, its bordering
countries and as far afield as Australia. He is the first to admit that South
Africans, though incredibly funny, are very shy when it comes to volunteering
to come on stage during his acts. Coupled with this, is the restraint that
Andre exercises over the content of his shows. His are mild in comparison with
those of his American counterparts, whose material often veers way beyond what
Andre presents to South African audiences.
And it is here that this legendary
entertainer believes the success of his show lies. What he offers his audience
is pure family-friendly fun. He delivers a show that you can bring granny and
the children to, without worrying about excessive swearing, or tasteless
innuendo. The showman provides an 80-minute feel-good act from start to finish,
welcoming his voluntary guests onstage to become the stars of the show - not
the embarrassment of the evening.
Having said that, Andre has been digging in
his archives, and has stumbled across a heap of old routines last seen in the
90’s that are still relevant today. This year’s show is a combination of the
old and the new, and the Hilarious
Hypnotist will have you in stitches of laughter from the minute he walks on
stage until the last person leaves the floor. His volunteers are instructed to
react to an entire set of routines, from falling in love, to moving their hips
along to the YMCA.
Because no two shows are ever the same, you
might just feel tempted to join in the fun a second time around. And don’t be
amazed when the person sitting next to you has seen the show a few times, too!
Not even Andre knows what to expect. And in therein lies the magic that makes
his shows unique, as the man himself has no idea what will happen during the
time he is on stage.
Andre’s show can be seen live and in colour
at the Hexagon Theatre on the Pietermaritzburg campus of UKZN, between September
4 and 7 (book at Ticketweb).
He then plays the Elizabeth Sneddon Theatre
on UKZN’s Howard College campus in Durban from September 10 to 22 (book at
Computicket). Show times are at 20h00 Tuesdays to Saturdays and 15h00 Sundays
(no show on September 17). Tickets R100 (discounts available for bookings of 10
or more).
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