Students tricked into thinking they'd been molested at hypnotist Colin Adamson's freshers' show
by Rebecca Hughes
Students were shocked when a fun hypnosis show included members
of the audience performing erotic dances and being tricked into
thinking they'd been indecently touched.
The show, at the Universities at Medway's Coopers bar, was part
of Freshers' Week activities for new students.
It was advertised as the chance to "watch your new friends
transformed into aliens and superheroes. One to remember!"
But it ended up being remembered for the wrong reasons after
hypnotist Colin Adamson, pictured left, caused controversy
with a show featuring sexual acts.
Participants were made to perform tasks including lap dances,
ogling the opposite sex and imagining others naked.
Adamson told two women, hypnotised into performing a lap dance,
"When you wake up, you will think he touched you up just now".
After doing so, one girl was said to be too upset to speak while
the other said she would castrate the audience member with a
spoon.
University of Kent feminist society president Natasha Sadaeva
said she was "shocked and disgusted" that the event was allowed to
go on.
"He shows a lack of empathy towards rape victims and all women, and a lack of basic human decency – he has no place at a student union…” – feminist Natasha Sadaeva
She said: "He shows a lack of empathy towards rape victims and
all women, and a lack of basic human decency – he has no place at a
student union."
But Mr Adamson said the show was intended to be humorous. "It
wasn't a sex show by any means," he said. "That was just one
routine out of a lot of routines, which included people riding
horses and making all kinds of funny noises.
"This is the first time I have had this reaction to the show,
which I've been performing for 10 years and when I was performing
in Coopers the laughter was very loud. The majority of the audience
got what it was intended to be – comedy."
Participants were also not informed in advance that the show was
being recorded and that DVDs would be available at the end of the
performance.
Mr Adamson said: "I didn't say it was going to be filmed, no.
Why would I need to? They aren't children."
He later added: "It is possible I did mention it would be filmed
before, but I can't say for sure."
One audience member, who did not want to be named, said: "We had
no idea it was going to be filmed and ironically when the show
started he said participants wouldn't have to do anything they
weren't comfortable with.
"Some were so disgusted by it they walked out and one
participant cursed at the hypnotist for some of the things he made
people do.
"Some girls were clearly upset by what happened, but no one put
a stop to it and just let it carry on."
The hypnosis show was at
Universities at Medway student pub Coopers
A Kent Union spokesman said: "Following the hypnotist event we
investigated it thoroughly and have since reviewed our due
diligence procedures for booking of acts.
"As a result of this event, we will not be booking this
particular act again and we have tightened up our procedures.
"Colin Adamson has previously been booked by a number of other
student unions across the UK, as well as other national
companies.
"To date we have yet to receive a complaint regarding the event
and on the evening, no one left or walked out."
What do you think? Join the debate below.
04/10/12
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