Gruesome goings on (From Swindon Advertiser)

Gruesome goings on

5:05pm Thursday 11th March 2010 in

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PEOPLE of a nervous disposition are best to stay away from the Wyvern Theatre this weekend, as the Circus of Horrors will be rolling into town ready to shock, startle and entertain the crowds.

The Day of the Dead, which is being performed on Sunday night, transports the audience to Mexico in the 1900s as the circus’s chaos-mongers try to revive their deceased leader.

Among the acts taking to the stage will be sword swallower extraordinare Hannibal Helmurto, aka Helmut Kichmeier.

To help put himself in a trance and to be able to swallow multiple swords for the show, Hannibal, who is the latest freak to join the infamous circus, decided to learn the art of hypnotism.

He was practising his newfound skill in a mirror and suddenly couldn’t move. His wife Joanna found him starring at himself in the mirror approximately five hours later.

“I was really shocked when I found him. He was just like a Zombie starring at himself in the mirror,” said Joanna.

“I asked him what was wrong but he didn’t answer. I looked at the sofa behind him and saw a book named Hypnosis Medicine of the mind. I then realised there was something wrong,” she said.

Next to the book was a letter from Hannibal’s mentor, hypnotherapist Dr Ray Roberts, and Joanna called him to help release her husband from the trance.

But it isn’t the first time Hannibal has found himself with problems performing his unique act.

His debut in the show turned out to be a baptism of fire when he skewered himself in front of an audience in London.

Hannibal had tried to force a four foot long sabre down his throat but due to to an infection, his throat failed to open correctly and the sword pierced the inside of his respiratory tract.

He was rushed to hospital where surgeons debated whether or not to operate. Hannibal was kept in intensive care for three weeks.

He is now fully recovered and is ready to wow the Swindon audience with his unique act.

The curtain goes up at 7.30pm and the show is strictly for adults only.

Tickets cost £16.50 and are available by calling the box office on 01793 524481 or log on to www.wyverntheatre.org.uk