Improv comedy, hypnosis combine to put audiences in a trance

Hypnotherapy is one creative way to keep those new year’s resolutions. This month, the Irvine Barclay Theater is using hypnosis as a way to entertain theater-goers too.

“Hyprov: Improv Under Hypnosis” combines improv comedy and hypnosis for an interactive show. Starring hypnotist Asad Mecci and comedian Colin Mochrie, best known for his work on “Whose Line is it, Anyway?” “Hyprov” has sold out in Canada and the UK and will come to the Barclay for one night only on Friday, Jan. 10 at 8 p.m.

The tour titled, “Yes, It’s Real” was inspired by the questions the duo received from audiences after touring the show the first time, from 2019 to 2023.

“We are so excited to launch this new tour and return to some of our favorite cities and visit some new ones,” Mecci said in a statement.

“And we just want to remind everyone; yes, it’s real,” Mochrie added.

“Hyprov: Improv Under Hypnosis” at the Irvine Barclay Theatre combines improv comedy with hypnosis.

(Courtesy of the Irvine Barclay Theatre)

The show begins with Mecci inviting 20 volunteers from the audience on stage. Each volunteer is hypnotized, and those most receptive to the hypnosis remain on stage to improvise the rest of the show with Mochrie. The unconscious minds of the participants steer the show’s course, making each 90-minute performance a new and original experience.

Hypnosis is believed to be a state of altered consciousness achieved by focusing on a certain thought or object. People under hypnosis are thought to be more susceptible to suggestion, which is why hypnosis is sometimes used to help with quitting smoking or breaking bad habits. Suggestion is key to good improv, which is performed unscripted and comes to life spontaneously.

Certified by the National Guild of Hypnotists, Mecci is no stranger to putting his expertise to creative use. He has used hypnosis to help many professional athletes, like tennis and basketball players, by teaching visualization and mental imagery techniques to help enhance their abilities. He collaborated with figure-skating coach Brian Orser to develop a visualization application used by Orser and the athletes he coached in the 2014 and 2018 Winter Olympics.

Mecci has also been hired by major corporations to teach motivation and stress management using hypnosis. Just this year he released an album titled “An Exploration of Hypnotic Sound” with Canadian-American singer/songwriter Rufus Wainwright.

Colin Mochrie and Asad Mecci bring “Hyprov: Improv Under Hypnosis” to the Irvine Barclay Theatre in January.

(Courtesy of the Irvine Barclay Theatre)

In 2015, Mecci teamed up with Mochrie to create “Hyprov” (pronounced hip-rawv) at Second City in Toronto, Canada’s local chapter of the improv and sketch comedy troupe. After developing the show on the local stage, the duo took the show on the road in 2016, first landing in Just for Laughs London, followed by Just for Laughs Montreal and then Edinburgh Fringe.

Rave reviews lead to “Hyprov: Improv Under Hypnosis” embarking on a 100-city tour from 2019 until 2023. The tour included a 12-week stint off-Broadway and a six-month residence at Harrah’s in Las Vegas.

“It’s been an incredible journey,” said Mecci.

Now, Mecci and Mochrie prepare to bring the show to Orange County where they hopes to put local audiences in a trance.

Irvine Barclay Theatre is located at 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. Tickets range from $39 to $135 and are available at thebarclay.org.