Chapter Ten
Stage Hypnosis.
1951
Harold won't come with me, so I go on my own to see Van Lowe from South Africa. He is not a Van and he comes from New Zealand. This is only a stage name. However, it is by far the best show that I have ever seen and so I go for four nights in a row. On the last night, I manage to get Harold to come along with me.
He starts his demonstration by doing a memory test. He has a blackboard marked off into 25 squares. Van Lowe invites his audience to call out words and his beautiful assistant writes them onto the squares. Then he is blindfolded and we call out the number and he gives us the word. Alternatively, we call out the word and he gives us the number. I am very impressed.
Then he calls for volunteers and does some pre-induction tests on them first. Falling back, hand clasp, holding an imaginary ball and making it heavy.
“Just hold your arm straight out from your side and imagine that you have a heavy steel ball in your hand. Now look into my eyes. It is getting heavier. It is starting to pull your arm down towards the floor. Further and further. Now you can't lift it up. The more you try, the heavier it becomes.” Then with the next one. “Open your mouth wide. Wider. Wider. Now you can't close your mouth.”
The ones who respond best are asked to stay on the stage. The rest are sent back to their seats in the audience. Then he 'puts them to sleep'.
There is a big chandelier hanging above the stage. He sits them in chairs and invites them to stare at the chandelier. Then he says, “I need the audience to be absolutely quiet for a few minutes and then you can make all the noise you like.”
In the background, some music comes on with the song,
'So tired, of only daydreams. So tired, of only play schemes'.
“Keep looking at the light above your head and listen to my voice. Your eyes are getting heavier and heavier. Tired and heavy. Now they are starting to close. Closing. Closing. Tighter and tighter. And now you can't open them, no matter how hard you try. The more you try, the tighter they close. Now