Throughout the history of hypnosis the body was continuously employed as the object of scientific inquiry and was the subject of spectacular performance demonstrations. Begüm Erciyas traces this history and in doing so reflects on the hypnotic condition of presence-absence and what it produces on stage. In contradiction to the widespread belief that hypnosis is like sleep, recent research suggests that it is rather a waking condition of focused attention and suggestibility. Using hypnotic suggestion, Hypnosis takes performer and public on imaginary journeys, interwoven with moments of collective memory. How do we deal with questions of authenticity and fabrication when we can only experience worldwide events through the media? How do we deal with the permanent state of unknowing? Hypnosis explores hopes and failures and searches for insights behind appearances and in the body.

Choreography: Begüm Erciyas. Performers: Hermann Heisig, Nils Ulber, Joséphine Evrard.Lighting design: Henning Eggers. Hypnosis advisor: Rosemarie Dypka. Production: Barbara Greiner, Ann-Kathrin Reimers. HYPNOSIS is a Begüm Erciyas production supported by the Berlin Major’s Office – Chancellery of the Berlin Senate Cultural Department. The first version (“The Lake” 2011) was co-produced by Kampnagel Hamburg and supported by the Hamburg Department of Culture, PACT Zollverein and the Theater School /AHK Amsterdam.