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Host Peter McCully chats with Colin Mochrie and Asad Mecci of ‘HYPROV’. The pair are set to bring their unique blend of humour and hypnosis to B.C. stages.
Volunteers from the audience are hypnotized and then engage in spontaneous improvisational comedy alongside Mochrie, a comedy legend in the field who attended theatre school in Vancouver.
“I love B.C. It was where I discovered improv. My family still lives there,” he said. “To me, (Vancouver) is hands-down like one of the most beautiful cities. Mountains, you’ve got the ocean, and every once in a while, you’ve got me.”
The podcast explores the journey from inception to the huge success of the show, while sharing humorous stories and insights.
Mecci, a master hypnotist, explains how he merged hypnosis with improv to create an unconventional yet wildly successful show.
“We create an instant improv troupe out of the people who are on stage,” he said, discussing the unexpected hilarity that unfolds during performances. “They become an instant improv troupe with us.”
The show has been a big hit from off-Broadway to residencies in Las Vegas.
“When Assad says ‘we’re looking for 20 people’, it’s just a stampede,” said Mochrie. “Everywhere we go, no matter in Canada, in the States, small towns or bigger towns, people want to be a part of the show. They come up with just the best stuff that real improvisers would never come up with, just to keep me on my toes.”
McCully asked about the secret to performing improv comedy and Mochrie tells the story of being in an MRI for 90 minutes under study.
“The part of the brain that deals with self-criticism, activity goes away,” he said. “The part of the brain that deals with creativity blossoms. So somehow improvisers do naturally what Asad does through hypnosis.”
The show will play in British Columbia in November, the dates can be found here.
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