After the year that's just gone...
everyone needs a little Matt Hale this Fringe
Agent Mystery Case
Fringe World Festival 2021
MATT HALE: BONKERS
Returning to Fringe for a sixth year, comic hypnotist Matt Hale’s new show is the ultimate antidote to the year that was. A night where you should take a leaf out of my book by leaving any preconceived entertainment hypnosis ideas at the door and let your guard down.
Matt’s latest Fringe show BONKERS was just that for last night’s preview show. Completely and totally bonkers from start to finish. Just for the record, that’s a really good thing!
IT’S A KIND OF MAGIC?
I feel I need to clarify a few things here. This is not the comic hypnosis and potential anxiety inducing audience participation that I grew up fearful of. This is sixty minutes of complete silliness and a whole lot of laughs for the whole family.
Using seemingly magical powers Matt hypnotises his volunteers to unlock the incredible ability of their mind. Using the power of suggestion, audience members are transported into BONKERS situations where they release talents and creativity, they never knew they had.
Coming from an age where comic hypnosis was more about making a fool of someone on stage, often at a hen or bucks night and sharing VHS evidence of friends running around like chickens for years to come, I was finding this show a hard sell amongst my plus one friends. Most felt like this was completely out of their comfort zone and were more than a little fearful. I get it. Up until last year I was much the same.
Let me put your mind at rest. There’s absolutely no fear of being dragged up on stage against your will. This is not a show that has you laughing out loud at someone else’s expense. The on-stage participants seem to have just as much fun (if not more) than everyone in the audience.
Matt’s family friendly style of hypnosis and his knack for entertaining the masses only really works with willing participants. It was this weird preconceived notion that I’d be dragged up on stage and completely out of my control freak comfort zone that kept me from seeing this award-winning artist for years.
In a year that had me jumping out of my comfort zone at any chance (before Covid had the last laugh), I finally bit the bullet last year during Fringe for Matt’s Random Acts of Mindness show. I was not only completely surprised but thoroughly entertained. So was hubby my plus one last year. Which is why I was super keen for more this year and eager to convert a friend or two over to the fun and friendly side of comedy hypnosis.
At last night’s performance, much like the show I attended last year, there was an abundance of super eager participants who volunteered on stage. It was easy for me to just sit back, relax and enjoy the completely bonkers ride.
After the year that has just gone we could all do with a whole lot more light hearted fun. Matt provides this and more with BONKERS. It’s a winning combination that Matt has perfected over the years that means no matter who joins him on stage this is always going to be one incredibly funny and thoroughly entertaining show.
BONKERS runs until February 14 across five Fringe venues (Perth Girls School, Cirque du Cockburn, Rendezvous Scarborough, Metro City and Redmond Theatre Joondalup). Last night we were at Perth Girls School in the main hall.
Matt Hale’s BONKERS
at Fringe World Perth until February 14
tickets available here
