FROM the United States to the Caribbean, from the Canary Islands to Greece, internationally-renowned stage hypnotist, Simon Warner, has hypnotised people all around the world.
But after navigating the globe, he decided to get his ‘Scouse Passport’ and make Liverpool his home. Now living in the city centre, Simon explained how Liverpool captured his heart.
“Liverpool was where our international show Viva Hypnosis had its first ever performance – so it will always be close to my heart,” revealed Simon. “It’s also where my wife is from – so it seemed the natural place to kick off the show. As a result, we have made Liverpool our base and are loving the life that living in this city allows us to lead.”
But why Liverpool? “From unbelievable festivals nearly every weekend, fabulous nightlife, some of the best restaurants I have ever eaten at – anywhere around the world and of course, the world’s friendliest people – Liverpool is a truly unbeatable city to live in and we’re going to make the most of every minute that we’re here!”
Simon has been a professional stage hypnotist for over nine years and has been touring his show Viva Hypnosis for the past eight months. The show had its debut at the Epstein Theatre in November 2015 and has gone on to achieve massive success ever since.
Fresh from a Caribbean tour, Simon is now looking forward to bringing the show back to Liverpool this summer. The mesmerizing, high-octane show takes place at The Epstein Theatre on 22nd July and Simon can’t wait to hypnotically entertain the Liverpool audience.
And he has a top secret hypnotic experiment planned for the people of Liverpool. Simon revealed: “We will soon be looking for volunteers for a psychological hypnotic experiment that will be filmed for a short film. The details of this are currently top secret, as this is a never-before-attempted experiment, but details will be released very soon, so keep your eyes peeled if you’d like to get involved…
So are Liverpool people good at being hypnotised? “Absolutely,” Simon declared.
“If you have a big imagination and a great sense of humour, as well as being friendly, fun and open to giving things a go…then you’re probably a Scouser. And this makes you perfect for being hypnotised!
“These are things that make people much more easily hypnotisable than others! Liverpool people are fun, friendly, have big imaginations and have plenty of get up and go! And I know that because I’m married to one! Liverpool has always provided the best hypnotic volunteers and audience members of anywhere we’ve ever performed in the world – they’ve always been our most memorable shows!”
So apart from being a Scouser, what makes someone a great hypnotic participant? “Anyone can be hypnotized,” said Simon. “But some people are much more responsive than others! People with great visual imaginations or who use this skill in their jobs are usually the best; for example artists, hairdressers and make-up artists, along with musicians (drummers are amazing!), people in the military and performers. Basically if you have a big imagination, pretty open minded, can concentrate and follow instructions and want to be hypnotized, you will be a perfect hypnotic volunteer!”
What does it feel like to be hypnotised? Simon explained: “Do you ever find yourself getting lost in books and films? Do they sometimes seem real to you? Do you sometimes find yourself driving down the road or sitting on the train and getting lost in your own thoughts…day-dreaming, planning and scheming…thinking about the pair of shoes you saw in the window in Liverpool ONE or what the score might be at the match tomorrow? Then you’ve already been hypnotised.
“All hypnosis is really self-hypnosis – your mind does the hard work…it’s an adventure, a journey that you go on in your own head…guided by a hypnotist…And if you have a big enough imagination and have a good enough sense of fun, you’ll have no problem becoming the star of the show and acting out that journey for everyone else to be entertained by!”
Does it feel the same as night-time sleep? Said Simon: “Hypnotic sleep is not the same as night-time sleep – when you’re ‘under’ or in a trance, you are still able to see everything, still able to hear everything. You just have an overwhelming compulsion, an irresistible desire to do what I ask you to do. And you don’t have to worry about a thing, (I’m a nice hypnotist!), you can’t be made to do anything that’s against your morals or values. When you’re hypnotised, you feel lovely and completely relaxed, like all your stresses and strains have melted away…it’s actually an amazing feeling!
Can you use hypnosis for helping people as well as for entertainment purposes? “Of course,” answers Simon. “I normally restrict using hypnosis for therapy for friends and family only – but I have helped people with serious phobias and addictions. I’ve helped my wife get over her fear of flying, helped a friend with an alcohol addiction to stay sober and helped cure a colleague from a fear of peas! (seriously!)“
When asked what is the best thing about being a stage hypnotist, Simon confided: “Every show is completely different. It’s the volunteers that make the show! They’re wonderful! Every night is exciting and unpredictable and that’s pretty exciting! It certainly keeps you on your toes! Also, being able to give people a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience something truly unique and essentially live out their dreams live on stage! The only limit is their own imaginations!”
Soon, Simon is heading to The Edinburgh Festival Fringe followed by Las Vegas in September. He said: “2016 is a very busy year and things are looking amazing for the future, but we will be back to perform in Liverpool…in fact (sneaky hint)…you may be able to catch us as part of a certain, incredible Comedy Festival this autumn in the city!”
For more information on Viva Hypnosis visit http://www.epsteinliverpool.co.uk/whats-on/simon-warners-viva-hypnosis.aspx
