Theatrical superstitions

Theatrical superstitions are superstitions particular to actors or the theatre.

The Scottish play

Main article: The Scottish play

Shakespeare's play Macbeth is said to be cursed, so actors avoid saying its name (the euphemism "The Scottish Play" is used instead). Actors also avoid even quoting the lines from Macbeth before a performance, particularly the Witches' incantations. Outside of a theatre and after a performance the play can be spoken of openly . If an actor speaks the name Macbeth in a theatre prior to a performance, he or she is required to leave the theatre building, spin around three times, spit, curse, and then knock to be allowed back in. There are several possible origins for this superstition. One is the assumption that the song of the Weird Sisters is an actual spell that will bring about evil spirits. Another is that there is more swordplay in it than most other Shakespeare plays, and the more swordplay must be rehearsed and performed, the more chances there are for someone to get injured. Yet another option is that the play is often run by theatres that are in debt and looking to increase patronage. Another superstition is the belief that the Globe Theatre was burned down during a performance of Macbeth, but it is revealed that this was actually during a performance of Henry VIII.

There is also a legend that the play itself was cursed because the first time it was ever performed, the actor playing Macbeth died shortly before or after the production (accounts vary).^{[citation needed]} It is also said that the original production of the play used actual witches and witchcraft, and so the play is cursed.^{[citation needed]}

Not wishing "good luck"

Generally, it is considered bad luck to wish someone "good luck" in a theatre. Prior to performances, it is traditional for the cast to gather together to avert the bad luck by wishing each other bad luck or cursing - in English-speaking countries, the expression "break a leg" replaces the phrase "good luck". The exact origin of this expression is unknown, but some of the most popular theories are the Shakespearean Theory or Traditional Theory, and the Bowing Theory. If someone does say "good luck", they must go out of the theatre, turn around 3 times, spit, curse, then knock on the door and ask to be readmitted to the theatre.^{[citation needed]} The expression "break a leg" has spread outside of the theatre and is regularly used by non-actors toward actors and in non-theatrical situations.

In Australian theatrical circles saying "good luck" is also avoided, but the replacement is often "chookas!".

In Portuguese and Spanish-speaking countries, before each performance, director and actors gather on the stage, join hands and scream "Muita Merda!"/"¡Mucha mierda!" ("A lot of shit!"). The term "A lot of shit" reputedly comes from the success of a play. Where historically people would arrive by carriage, lots of people meant lots of carriages and horses, leaving "a lot of shit". Instead of saying "break a leg", those who want to wish good luck to the performers wish "mierda" to them. Similarly, in France and in Italy, actors say the word "Merde!" (French) / "Merda" (Italian) just before making an entrance. The French "Merde!" is also popular among ballet dancers across the world regardless of their mother tongue.

Ghosts

One ghost-related superstition is that the theatre should always be closed one night a week to give the ghosts a chance to perform their own plays. This is traditionally on Monday nights, conveniently giving actors a day off after weekend performances.^{[citation needed]}

Theatres that have stood for more than a few decades tend to have lots of associated ghost stories, more than other public buildings of similar age.^{[citation needed]}

Thespis

One specific ghost, Thespis, holds a place of privilege in theatre lore. Historians used to believe that Thespis of ancient Athens (6th Century BCE) was the first person to speak lines as an individual actor on stage (hence the term "thespian" to refer to an individual actor). Any unexplainable mischief that befalls a production is likely to be blamed on Thespis, especially if it happens on November 23 (the date he supposedly uttered the first lines).^{[citation needed]}

Ghost light

One should always leave a light burning in an empty theatre. Traditionally, the light is placed upstage centre. That is, farthest from the audience, centre stage. Several reasons are given for this, all having to do with ghosts:

• the light wards off ghosts.
• a theatre's ghosts always want to have enough light to see. Failure to provide this may anger them, leading to pranks or other mishaps.
• it prevents non-spectral personnel from having to cross the stage in the dark, falling into the orchestra pit, dying in the fall and becoming ghosts themselves.

Though it's a superstition, it does have practical value: the backstage area of a theatre tends to be cluttered, so someone who enters a completely darkened space is liable to be injured while hunting for a light switch.

Whistling

Related to a similar rule for sailing ships, it is considered bad luck for an actor to whistle on or off stage. As original stage crews were hired from ships in port (theatrical rigging has its origins in sailing rigging), sailors, and by extension theatrical riggers, used coded whistles to communicate scene changes. Actors who whistled could confuse them into changing the set or scenery, though in today's theatres, the stage crew normally uses an intercom or cue light system.

Script under pillow

A common superstition held by actors is that sleeping with a script under their pillow will help them to learn it faster. This is sometimes known as "learning by diffusion". Script under the pillow is said to have caused bad luck.

Miscellaneous

• No real money should be used on stage. This may derive from gamblers' superstitions about money, or it could just be a sensible precaution against theft. In a similar vein, it is considered unlucky to wear real jewelry on stage, as opposed to costume jewelry.
• It is bad luck to complete a performance of a play without an audience in attendance, so one should never say the last line of a play during rehearsals. To get around this, some production companies allow a limited number of people (usually friends, family, and reviewers) to attend the dress rehearsals.
• In some companies wearing the t-shirt of the play being produced before opening day is considered bad luck. Other companies however hold the exact opposite opinion, and actually encourage their actors to wear the shirt as often as possible before opening night to increase ticket sales.
• A bad dress rehearsal foretells a good opening night. Possibly, this is an example of sour grapes. However, it has a tendency to be true in that cast and crew are scared straight by a bad dress rehearsal and therefore fix their mistakes by opening night. (Alternatively, a director may offer this superstition to boost the confidence of the actors after they were disheartened by the bad dress rehearsal.)
• A company should not practise doing their bows before they feel they deserve them.
• Gifts such as flowers should be given to actors before a show, as opposed to after.
• Peacock feathers should never be brought on stage, either as a costume element, prop, or part of a setpiece. Many veteran actors and directors tell stories of sets collapsing and other such events during performances with peacock feathers.
• Some actors believe that having a Bible onstage is unlucky. Often, other books or prop books will be used with Bible covers.
• The colour blue is considered unlucky, unless countered by wearing silver. As blue dye was once very costly; a failing acting company would dye some of their garments blue in the hopes of pleasing the audience. As for the silver to counter it, one would know that the acting company was truly wealthy, so to enable actors to wear real silver.
• The colour green is also considered to be unlucky. This is said to date from the time when most performances were given out-of-doors. Wearing green would make it hard to distinguish the actor from grass/trees/bushes in the natural setting beyond the performing area. Another possible cause of this superstition is that green light tends to make actors look corpse-like. Despite this superstition, the off-stage waiting area for actors is referred to as the green room.
• The colour yellow is another that is considered unlucky. This is said to date from the days of the religious plays. Yellow was the colour worn by the actor playing the devil.

External links

• Superstition – "MacBeth"
• Theatrical Superstitions and Saints
• Theatrical superstitions from the High School Drama Network
• Theatre Superstitions & Traditions