A hypnotist show is a very unique type of entertainment. It’s pretty much the most interactive stage show there is, as well as the most unpredictable. Considering that the hypnotised volunteers from the audience are the stars of the show, pretty much everything that happens on stage is a surprise for the witnesses, and, from what I hear, a deep, relaxing sleep for the participants.The Earl Cameron Theatre played host to Bermuda’s most recent Master Hypnotist import on Saturday night, to the utter joy and amazement of a near capacity crowd.The show started just after 9pm with Emcee Bootsie tickling the crowd with his seasoned observational humour and sharp wit. Then there was a belly dancing performance by Diane (who would later double as Cyrus’ assistant), before a short intermission.Cyrus was introduced to us with considerable pomp and circumstance. There were bells, whistles, lighting tricks, and plenty of mystical music included in the esteemed mind controller’s introduction; we soon found out why.Cyrus was the consummate showman throughout, offering subtle entertainment with contained mastery from start to finish, and letting his understated prodding do the rest. His stars were invited to participate soon after he came on stage, and within a minute there were twenty-plus seats filled with wide-eyed volunteers on the stage before us.A few preliminary activities whittled the group down to 19 participants, and, by the end of the 90 or so minute show there were 13 stars left on the stage. Some participants appeared to wake up from their hypnotic slumber during the show, and were seamlessly whisked off the stage by Cyrus and his assistant (Diane). The show itself was never interrupted, and there was plenty to marvel at on stage throughout the performance.From the ‘Cyrus Virus Orchestra,’ which compelled the participants to play imaginary musical instruments, to the bit when participants were rolling on the floor laughing in response to Cyrus’ voice, to the ‘Hot to Cold’ exercise, this was an amazing testament to the power of suggestion to the subconscious mind.Participants fanned themselves, removed jackets, slapped at imaginary mosquitoes, rubbed imaginary cooling lotion on their skin, huddled for warmth, embraced their neighbours to escape the cold, refused to speak to Cyrus, posed like supermodels for perceived cameras, celebrated the growth and then mourned the disappearance of their favourite body part, and danced in response to Cyrus’ pointed prompts.Oh, and boy did they dance! The first incidence of dancing, in fact, was perhaps the most shocking, explosive, and downright hilarious moment of the night. That was when a deeply hypnotised participant called Akil was told that whenever he heard a specific musical selection he would immediately break into a feverish River Dance; that he was, in fact, the world famous ‘Lord of the Dance’.Well, a few minutes later, the music started to play, and Akil, who is not a small man, began to perform a series of frenetic high kicks that was more reminiscent of a sideways Can-Can or Ukrainian Hopak (which most people will know as the Russian kick-and-squat dance) than a River Dance. Akil bounded around the stage with reckless abandon, leaving it all on stage while grabbing his chance to displace Michael Flatley as the ‘Lord of the Dance’ with both hands! It was astonishing, impressive, and hilarious all at once, and the signature moment of a thoroughly entertaining evening.As hypnotist shows go, this was a very good one. The action on stage was sometimes absorbing, sometimes puerile, but always interesting, and often very, very funny. Kudos on delivering another quality production goes to Janson Cross and the Bermuda Night Out team, and a big “Bravo!” on a masterful performance goes to Cyrus.