LAUGHING HYPNOTISE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3043, 2 April 1917, Page 6

LAUGHING HYPNOTISE

> OPENING -OF THE NORWOOD SEASON. Whether Mr. M. H, Norwood is the skilful exponent! of a little-known power (of which the world in general i has always had its suspicions), or whether he is just a clever showman, the end is the same, for .without any, question whatever he provides a capi- • tal two hours' amusement, creating alI most continuous laughter, such asi would-be the envy of any faroe writer. Indeed, were there any writer of comedy who could convulse an-audience as) on Saturday evening at the Grand / Opera House his fortune would be swift and sure. Mr. Norwood now makes a practice of introducing his! show by a reference to criticism as to the genuineness of his ability to hypnotise, saying that he does not take much notice of such comment. It is. for .each member of the audience to judge whether the "stunt" -is genuine) or otherwise. Mr. Norwood admitted ■ that three of his 'subjects of the twelvrt that weut ■ upon the stage were known, to him—the-rest were looal people entirely unknown to him. Four of the ' dozen were youths in knickers, 'and another' Was a coloured man not altoaether unknown to tho vaudevilla stage. The programme did not differ materially to that civen by Mr. Norwood during his previous visits to Wellington. Getting his circle "under his influence," he quickly had them fall- . ing about as he willed, tlasping their II hands until they were unable to separ-< ate them, imagining they were newspaper-, sellers,in which the "subjects" , scrambled amongst the:audience and', walked on the backs of "the seats in si manner, though perhaps not acceptable to some, wa? heartily laughed ati i by the majority At one stage he gavi a quartet the suggestion, that they wore preachers, and the text was "A' B C," and on another occasion the imaginary scene was a barber's shop, in which one person submitted 'to being lathered and shavod according to the traditions of the best . slapstick * comedy. The.demonstration of cataleptic hypnotism was convincing. In this act .a man is rendered rigid by suggestion. and four men stand on his body as it is snsneuded between the back's -of- -two chairs. ■_ In the second half Miss Ruth Hamilton and Mr. Norwood; gave an exposition of thought transfer-* ence, ill which the lady, blindfolded, - does certain things which are suggest-j ed to Mi'. Norwood by members of the audience, and pro transmitted to her without a word being spoken. The entertainment- concluded with the hypnotio minstrel show, which was one of the jolliest items in the programme. Mr. Norwood will present his entertainment for the next four evenings, varying the programme on each occa-