Hypnotism Act 1952 - Conditions for Hypnotism
Conditions for hypnotism, mesmerism or any similar act or
process which produces or is intended to produce in any other
person any form of induced sleep or trance in which the
susceptibility of the mind of that person to suggestion or
direction is increased or intended to be increased.
1. The council to be informed in writing 28 days in advance of
the performance of:
(a) The name (both real and stage, if different) and address of
the person who will give the performance (hereafter referred to as
the “hypnotist”), along with details of their last three
performances (where and when); and
(b) A statement as to whether, and if so giving full details
thereof, the hypnotist
has been previously refused or had withdrawn a consent by any
licensing authority or been convicted of an offence under the
Hypnotism Act 1952 or of an offence involving the breach of a
condition regulating or prohibiting the giving of a performance of
hypnotism on any person at any theatre or other place of public
amusement or public entertainment.
2. Publicity
(a) No poster, advertisement or programme for the performance
that is likely to cause public offence shall be displayed, sold or
supplied by or on behalf of the licensee either at the premises or
elsewhere:
(b) Every poster, advertisement or programme for the
performance, which is displayed, sold or supplied shall include,
clearly and legibly, the following statement:
“Volunteers, who must be aged 18 or over, can refuse at any
point to continue taking part in the performance”
(c) The performance shall be covered to a reasonable level of
public liability insurance. The hypnotist must provide evidence of
this to the local authority if requested; and it must be available
for inspection at the performance;
(d) The means of access between the auditorium and the stage for
participants shall be properly lit and free from obstruction;
(e) A continuous white or yellow line shall be provided on the
floor of any raised stage at a safe distance from the edge. This
line shall run parallel with the edge of the stage for its whole
width. The hypnotist shall inform all subjects that they must not
cross the line while under hypnosis, unless specified to do so as
part of the performance.
(f) Before starting the performance the hypnotist shall make a
statement to the audience, in a serious manner, identifying those
groups of people who should not volunteer to participate in it;
explaining what volunteers might be asked to perform; informing the
audience of the possible risks from embarrassment or anxiety; and
emphasising that subjects may cease to participate at any time they
wish.
The following is a suggested statement, which might be amended
as necessary to suit individual styles as long as the overall
message remains the same:
“I shall be looking for volunteers aged over 18 who are willing
to be hypnotised and participate in the show. Anyone who comes
forward should be prepared to take part in a range of entertaining
hypnotic suggestions but can be assured that they will not be asked
to do anything which is indecent, offensive or harmful. Volunteers
need to be in normal physical and mental health and I must ask that
no one volunteers if they have a history of mental illness, or are
under the influence of alcohol or other drugs or are pregnant.”
(g) No form of coercion shall be used to persuade members of the
audience to participate in the performance. In particular,
hypnotists shall not use selection techniques which seek to
identify and coerce onto the stage the most suggestible members of
the audience without their prior knowledge of what is intended. Any
use of such selection techniques (e.g. asking members of the
audience to clasp their hands together and asking those who cannot
free them again to come onto the stage) should only be used when
the audience is fully aware of what is intended and that
participation is entirely voluntary at every stage;
(h) If volunteers are to remain hypnotised during an interval in
the performance, a reasonable number of attendants as agreed with
the licensing authority shall be in attendance throughout to ensure
their safety;
(i) The performance shall be so conducted as not to be likely to
cause offence to any person in the audience or any hypnotised
subject;
(j) The performance shall be so conducted as not to be likely to
cause harm, anxiety or distress to any person in the audience or
any hypnotized subject. In particular, the performance shall not
include:
(i) Any suggestion involving the age regression of a subject
(i.e. asking the subject to revert to an earlier age in their life;
this does not prohibit the hypnotist from asking subjects to act as
if they were a child etc);
(ii) Any suggestion that the subject has lost something (e.g. a
body part) which, if it really occurred, could cause considerable
distress;
(iii) Any demonstration in which the subject is suspended
between two supports (so called “catalepsy”);
(iv) The consumption of any harmful or noxious substance;
(v) Any demonstration of the power of hypnosis to block pain
(e.g. pushing a needle through the skin);
(k) The performance shall not include the giving of hypnotherapy
or any other form of treatment.
(l) All hypnotised subjects shall remain in the presence of the
hypnotist and in the room where the performance takes place until
all hypnotic suggestions have been removed.
(m) All hypnotic or post-hypnotic suggestions shall be
completely removed from the minds of all the subjects and the
audience before the performance ends. All hypnotised subjects shall
have the suggestions removed both individually and collectively and
the hypnotists shall confirm with each of them they feel well and
relaxed (the restriction on post-hypnotic suggestions does not
prevent the hypnotist telling subjects that they will feel well and
relaxed after
the suggestions are removed)
(n) The hypnotist shall remain available for at least 30 minutes
after the show to help deal with any problems that might arise.
(Such help may take the form of reassurance in the event of
headaches or giddiness but this condition does not imply that the
hypnotist is an appropriate person to treat anyone who is
unwell)
Contact the Licensing Section
E-mail: licensing@dover.gov.uk
Telephone: 01304 872295
