Hypnotism and improv come together in show coming to Windsor and Chatham
CBC
Improv comedy legend and Whose Line is it Anyway? star Colin Mochrie is coming to Windsor's Chrysler Theatre on Saturday with master hypnotist Asad Mecci for a show like no other.
Hyprov: Improv Under Hypnosis is the name of their show. It ran for 70 shows off Broadway in New York City and has toured across all of North America — now the show will spend two weekends in Windsor and Chatham.
Mochrie said the show features an unusual ensemble — 20 audience member participants under hypnosis, improvising alongside Mochrie.
And Mecci said the people he puts under hypnosis can keep up with Mochrie's decades of improvising.
"At times [Mochrie] is just reacting because they're stealing the show," Mecci said.
Mecci said he pitched the idea for Hyprov to Mochrie through an email.
The pair tested out the idea in 2016 at Second City in Toronto before bringing it to Just for Laughs Montreal and overseas to Just for Laughs London and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in Scotland.
LISTEN: Colin Mochrie and Asad Mecci join Windsor Morning
After that, the show went on a 60-city tour across North America before it ran off Broadway.
"We're really excited to bring the show back to Canada now. We've already hit the East Coast," Mecci said.
He gave a sneak peak into what audiences can expect from the show. He said the "crescendo" of Hyprov is "an old time radio play where Colin is a detective and he's trying to solve the case."
Mochrie said doing Hyprov has helped him get back to his improv roots and provides challenging improv scenarios that require him to stay focused.
"I love doing this show because for me it's a fresh way of doing improv," he said.
On top of giving a good performance, Mochrie said Hyprov shows what regular audience members can do when their inhibitions are taken away.
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