MIND OVER MAGIC: Interview with comedian and hypnotist Jason Simmons
Comedy columnist Zahra Barri chats to Erith’s multi-skilled live performer Jason Simmons about magic, hypnosis, Columbo and making a swift exit
Image by Steve Best
Roll up! Roll up for the mystery tour! Jason Simmons is a comedian-turned-magician-turned-hypnotist-turned-mindreader… he’s really intelligent and I think possibly a genius. But he’s certainly a multitasker.
Never mind mindreading, a man that can do more than two things at once - mind-blowing! I once congratulated an ex for taking out the bins while grilling on the George Foreman and pouring me a glass of wine. But Simmons can hypnotise a woman in the front row into believing she’s a chicken while performing a magic trick on her husband while simultaneously cracking a joke to the crowd and mindreading the poultry.
Simmons engulfs the energy of vaudeville variety acts of yesteryear. His is a masterful mix of cabaret with colloquial, Kent born and bred, cheeky-chappy banter.
He, however, sees himself more of a Derren Brown meets Columbo meets Paul McKenna meets Paul Daniels - what a dinner party that would be… as long as Debbie McGee comes, too, for gender balance. Simmons is clearly a connoisseur of comedy; in fact, we met a decade ago on the stand-up circuit, but now Jason is not merely a comedian but a multi-hyphenated performer.
Adding the other elements alongside his comedy has enabled him to discover his true persona. He channels the late Tommy Cooper. He revels in playing the fool, pretending he’s messed up the trick, or that the hypnosis has gone wrong, which does indeed evoke the image of a millennial version of the fez-wearing comedy hero. But while Tommy Cooper made a living out of things going wrong, Simmons only leads you to think it’s all unravelling… but it isn’t. I got in touch to find out more.
How would you sum up your act?
My show is a family-friendly, fast-paced, interactive show that has a blend of mentalism - which is a sub-genre of magic that uses the power of the mind, comedy and hypnotism.
Out of comedy, hypnosis, mindreading and magic, what’s your favourite?
My favourite is hypnotism as I think of hypnosis as ‘real magic’. You can never be sure what someone is going to do or how they might take on a suggestion and I like the spontaneity of an individual’s imagination.
You describe your act as Derren Brown meets Columbo. Who else are your inspirations? Also, do you smoke a vape instead of a cigar because it’s 2024 and not 1986?
My inspiration for the hypnosis show was Paul McKenna. I watched his hypnotic world on television as a child and was mesmerised at his ability to ‘control’ his volunteers. My favourite magician is David Williamson - I think the way he plays with the audience is phenomenal.
No vapes or cigars for me. However, I like playing the ‘magician in trouble’, seemingly looking as though I’m failing as I feel it really pays off once it all comes together.
Who has been the funniest person to hypnotise?
There are so many to choose from. However, one of the first people I ever hypnotised for entertainment was a barmaid. She happened to be particularly suggestible and within a matter of minutes I had her believe I was invisible, and I also had her believe that a pensioner was Beyoncé. It was hilarious, she wanted her autograph and offered to buy her a drink.
Who has been the worst person to hypnotise?
The worst people to hypnotise are drunks - as they believe they are already hypnotised. But my worst show was in a Royal British Legion where I did a routine where I’d have someone believe they would be stuck to the chair and then I would offer them money if they could reach out and grab my jacket. I’ll point out that I’m usually convinced they will NOT be able to get off the chair.
This volunteer just got up off her seat and grabbed the jacket! After the show she came looking for her cash. I said “I’m just going to collect my fee from the venue and I’ll come and find you. I collected my cash and made a swift exit out of the fire door!”
You’re also a mindreader. Tell us about how you discovered this talent - and can you use it to become the next Marvel superhero?
I was bitten by a radioactive dung beetle! I got into magic to build safety nets into my routines so I had an ‘out’ if the hypnotism didn’t work. The most annoying thing about being a mindreader is that I can’t say to my kids ‘I’m not a mindreader’.
You recently performed at the Faversham Fringe. Are Kent minds filthier to read compared with other counties?
They were a great crowd in Faversham and Kent audiences are great - they can be a little more reserved than other crowds, but I really like that.
Reserved? Kent crowds? You must have hypnotised ALL OF THEM. When did you realise you were funny and could make people laugh?
I was working at a job I hated where I used to write comedy to look busy, and then I saw a sign at Up the Creek (Comedy Club in London) advertising for an open-mic night. The buzz I got from performing was enough to spur me on.
What’s next?
I’m really looking forward to returning to the UK Hypnosis convention, where I’m presenting a talk, performing on cruise ships and a theatre tour in 2025.
What’s magic about Kent?
Kent is a beautiful part of the world to live in, in particular its stunning coastlines. I also love the allure of the variety of venues to perform in around Kent’s seaside towns.
INFO: https://jasonsimmons.co.uk/
ZAHRA BARRI
Comedy Women in Print runner-up, Zahra is an Egyptian/Irish writer, comedian and PhD researcher. She has featured on and in Channel 4’s Only Jokes a Muslim Can Tell, BBC Radio and Harper’s Bazaar Arabia. Her debut novel Daughters of the Nile won the Unbound Firsts Writers of Colour competition and is “A bold multi-generational debut, exploring themes of queerness, revolution and Islamic sisterhood”. Zahra is being interviewed at Medway River Literature Festival on Sunday 10th November at 2pm at Rochester Library - medwayriverlit.co.uk
