Matt Hales’s new show Absolute Chaos epitomises what the entire Adelaide Fringe is all about: happiness, inclusiveness, and a rollicking good-time all wrapped up in a fast-paced one-hour show. Matt’s been attending the Adelaide Fringe for a few years now and each show seems to be getting bigger and better. With Absolute Chaos, don’t think of it as ‘just another hypnotist show’ - this one is full of laughs, with willing participants more than happy to join in the family-friendly fun.

With the Flamingo tent nearly packed out on this busy Saturday night, Matt begins the show with a brief rundown of what hypnotism is all about. No swinging watches or spinning spirals, this form of hypnotism requires deep relaxation, and the participants to be willing to be hypnotised. As someone who volunteered in last year’s show (Bonkers), this form of hypnotism releases you of your inhibitions and just lets you play along with Matt’s friendly games. There’s nothing mean-spirited about this show. After Matt chooses his volunteers, they eventually fall into hypnosis and start taking part in all the fun, much to the crowd’s amusement. From a lady playing saxophone to a man having a one-on-one dance with a broom, to a man telling off the crowd for laughing, it’s funny to see the ridiculous situations that people are put in. The biggest applause on the night I attended must go to the hypnotised Allison, who when the banging music came on had to rev up the crowd, and she did so with such an intense dance fashion ferocity that it left the crowd in tears. With highlights including group dancing, a dinosaur takeover, and a penguin parade, Absolute Chaos lived up to its name. Best of all, it was a show that left the audience with big smiles on their faces once it was over, and that’s what the Adelaide Fringe is all about, isn’t it?

FIVE STARS *****