André the Hilarious Hypnotist Returns To Joburg

Durban born, André Grove (53), better known to most as André The Hilarious Hypnotist, has for over the past 3 decades been entertaining theatres, corporates, fundraisers, and others with his unique ability to turn anyone (brave enough to volunteer) into the star of the show.

André wanted to be many things when growing up, and his career as an entertainer goes back to his childhood, when he performed magic and clown shows at children’s parties and events.

It was not until he saw the legendary Max Collie (a South African stage hypnotist and a household name in the hypnosis field because of the antics he had people perform on stage) on stage in the 1980s. It was then that André knew what he wanted to do… to become a stage hypnotist.

Max Collie became André’s mentor. He watched all his performances, toured with him, and would ask him (many) questions to learn the ins and outs of hypnosis and, of course, stage hypnosis.

After matric, André did his two years (compulsory) military service, and then went onto study drama, teaching and psychology at university in Pretoria.

It was after the passing of Max Collie, that Jeff Egnos, (Max Collie’s producer), that André was and invited to do a gig as a stage hypnotist. This eight week sold out season at the Victory Theatre in Houghton, Johannesburg back in 1994 launched André’s professional career as a stage hypnotist.

André has made over 200 television appearances, and featured in his own 14 part TV series on kykNET, Skaterlag met André.

We caught up with André as he gets ready to entertain Joburg audiences this festive season at Montecasino.

Do you practice any form of hypnosis therapy when not on stage or mainly stage “entertainment” hypnosis?

I am a stage hypnotist and my training lies in Theatre, hypnosis and comedy. Although I would be able to assist people with hypnosis I prefer to leave that sector to psychologists and psychiatrists trained in the subject matter at hand and I stick to what i am good at which is entertaining people on stage

Are there any rituals or routines that you do before going on stage as part of your preparation? How do you strike the balance between entertainment and the intriguing world of hypnosis?

I don’t have any rituals before a performance. Finding a balance between entertainment and stage hypnosis is rather tricky. Every night is different because I am never sure of the volunteers who will be taking part on stage. I have to rely on my training in comedy and drama to keep the show flowing while selecting the best volunteer for a specific routine. I believe the balance between the two comes from years of practice and experience but even now I have moments when I am not sure what or where the show is heading too.

What are the different stages of hypnosis that volunteer audience members can experience during the show? Why is it that some people can’t be hypnotised?

There are normally three stages when judging a volunteer. Your first stage is what we experience every day for instance when driving a car a great example of this is if I told you not to think of a pink Elephant – the first thing you think of is a pink Elephant. The second level will elicit a response from the volunteers on stage but they might laugh or giggle while performing the action. IT is not a case of the person not being hypnotised but rather the person laughing at themselves for performing the action and not having any idea why they are indeed doing so. Your third stage or your somnambulistic stage is the deepest stage and at this level the volunteer will do most if not everything you tell them to do. Keep in mind that the persons actions are still determined by their morals and values

Do you have any “tricks” up your sleeve for instances where there are no eager-beaver audience volunteers, first time round? What’s a good number of volunteers to work with during a show?

Every night is different and so are the volunteers. I have to rely entirely on who comes up on stage to create a performance. I have no “tricks” which assures me that I am going to have a easy show. I prefer to have a mix of 5 to 6 volunteers on stage as this is a comfortable number to work with and a easy number to create a performance.

What makes for great comedic hypnotism subjects that are sure to leave audiences in stitches, during and after the show?

The more creative the volunteers are the more likely they are to make for a really good subject but having said that I often find that people who are considered none creative become the stars of the show.

When someone is hypnotised, do they know what is going on during the moment? When they are told to do something, even if it’s something they wouldn’t normally do, are they able to be aware of what is happening?

Most people find that when they are hypnotised they are more aware of what they are doing but have a strange desire to partake in the performance. Memory loss does not happen to volunteers as often as people tend to think it does.

What’s been some of the most memorable (stand-out) moment(s) for you after entertaining many thousands of audiences both locally and abroad from any of your past shows?

There has been many, so many that I wrote a book called “I Can Juggle Now”, which captured some of these hilarious moments. For the most part the show tends to run its course but I have had the odd stripper and other reactions to my suggestions leaving me at a loss of words.

Quick Answer Questions:

Describe yourself in three words. Creative, Single, TalkativeWhat are the first two items on your bucket list? America and Cave explorationWhat’s your favourite season? SummerAsk for permission or ask for forgiveness? Ask for forgivenessCookies or cake? CakeAny phobias? None

Finally, what do you hope audiences take home from the show, and what’s your Christmas wish / message to all this Festive Holiday Season?

To me the most important thing is that every member of the audience leaves the show having had a super and hilarious time at the performance with a desire to see the show again. I wish everybody a incredible festive season filled with laughter and joy.

Having performed in more than 7 countries across 3 continents, and hypnotised over 30 000 people in South Africa, André’s shows are still pulling in the numbers.

So… if your 2023 has been a hard taxing year, and you need to laugh and laugh and laugh until your sides hurt OR, if you are looking to have your moment of fame in the spotlight, and are totally ready to (really) let loose and succumb to André’s suggestions, while under hypnosis, then with the snap of a finger you can become anyone or anything André desires you to be… from Superman to a dinosaur, a washing machine to a sprinkler, a typewriter to a world-famous musician, and a whole bunch of other side-splitting routines, which range from the sublime to the unimaginable.

No two shows are ever the same but audiences are definitely in for a diverse hilarious action-packed evening performance. André’s shows are totally family-friendly, and suitable for young and old but volunteers must be 16 years of age and older to participate in the show.

André the Hillarious Hypnotist returns to the Pieter Toerien Studio Theatre stage at Montecasino from Friday, 01 December 2023 to Sunday, 21 January 2024. Tickets available through Webtickets.

The show runs approx. 90 minutes and may include an interval at some performances.

Connect with André the Hilarious Hypnotist on social media: 

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram