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In days gone by, actors and theatre people were a very superstitious bunch. Less-so these days but there are still a few people around who might get upset by such things.
So, if you come to the theatre often it’s worth knowing the most common ones so as not to offend anyone.
Break a leg
Some actors believe that you should never wish anyone good luck. Instead, the phrase “break a leg” is often used. There are lots of possible origins for the phrase including:
· It refers to bending the knee to take a bow; in other words you hope the actor has a good enough performance to get a resounding round of applause.
· The side curtains on a stage are known as legs. In the early days of variety acts, performers stayed on stage for as long as the audience were enjoying them, which meant that sometimes acts that were low down in the order never got to perform. So, to wish someone ‘break a leg’ means I hope you get on stage.
· I have also heard the origin as being the tongue-in-cheek greeting given to an actor by his understudy.
· An unlikely explanation is that it comes from the fact that John Wilkes Booth broke his leg jumping to the stage after shooting Abraham Lincoln.
Whistling
Whistling backstage and in particular in the dressing room is considered bad luck. This probably comes from the days when whistles were used for stage crew to communicate to one another, and in particular to signal the flying in of backgrounds or scenery. An inadvertent whistle could have accidently signalled the release of a background and the consequent risk being that the unfortunate whistling actor might be hit with a stage weight.
The Scottish Play
It is considered bad luck to mention the play Macbeth; instead it is simply referred to as “The Scottish Play”. The origin of this is because of the number of theatre disinters associated with the production, such as one of the actors dying during the first time the play was staged.
Fake not real
A little less common is the superstition that it is bad luck to have real flowers on stage – if there are flowers required for the play, they must be fake. Same goes for money. Although that latter superstation might have more to do with worries that whoever supplied the money might not get it back after the show!
The Last Line
There was a time in theatre when it was considered bad luck to speak the last line of the play on a run-through before opening night. This superstition has all but died out, but there are some people who believe, on a similar vein, that the cast shouldn’t take their bows until there is an audience present. Both acknowledge the fact that any play is only truly complete when there is an audience!
Final thoughts
Personally, I am not superstitious, and I think these days most actors aren’t either – it wouldn’t bother me to break any of these ‘rules’. However, I don’t know if any of my fellow actors are or are not. So out of respect I keep these superstitions – if someone does believe them, for me to break them might unsettle them and an unsettled actor may lead to a bad performance and a poor show.
By Ian M Butterfield
Theatres in Britain have long been entwined with ghostly lore, with many of the country’s most historic venues said to be inhabited by spirits. These spectral figures often belong to long-dead actors, stagehands, or audience members who, in true theatrical fashion, refuse to exit the stage of life. The phenomenon of theatre ghosts in Britain goes hand in hand with the nation’s rich theatrical heritage, and many of these tales have become woven into the fabric of the playhouses themselves.
One of the most famous theatre ghosts in Britain is the Man in Grey at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London, considered the country’s most haunted theatre. Built in 1663, Drury Lane has seen countless productions, but it is the presence of this mysterious figure that captures the imagination. Dressed in 18th-century attire, including a long grey cloak and tricorn hat, the Man in Grey is said to walk through the upper circle before disappearing into a wall. According to legend, renovations uncovered a skeleton behind this very wall, thought to be that of a murdered man. For performers, his appearance is viewed as a good omen, often occurring just before a successful run.
Closer to home, Stockport Plaza is another venue with spectral stories. Built in 1932 as a cinema and theatre, the Plaza is beloved for its Art Deco charm. The most famous spirit is a former projectionist, who is said to haunt the upper levels of the building. According to staff, the projectionist’s ghost has been seen pacing the projection room or standing silently in the theatre’s shadows, particularly when the building is quiet. Paranormal investigators have noted strange electrical phenomena in the Plaza, with flickering lights and sudden drops in temperature lending credence to the haunted reputation.
The Palace Theatre in Manchester is also a site of alleged supernatural activity. One of the theatre’s most famous spirits is that of a former actor, known simply as “The Grey Lady.” This apparition is often spotted in the theatre’s Upper Circle, her flowing grey dress hinting at a bygone era. Some suggest she is the ghost of an actress who died tragically in the theatre, though the exact details of her life (and death) remain shrouded in mystery. Staff and performers have reported sudden chills, whispers, and unexplained footsteps in the area she is said to frequent, adding an eerie layer to the theatre’s grandeur.
Does Chads Theatre have its own ghost? Some believe there may be a spectral presence here, and there have been a few unexplained noises and a mysterious presence felt by some in our wardrobe department. Whether a lingering spirit or simply an overactive imagination, these tales certainly add an intriguing layer of mystery to the theatre’s history and atmosphere.
Have you ever wondered what happens when the lights go out on the final performance of a play at Chads? Once the cast have taken their final bows and the audience have left, that isn’t actually the end of the story.
Last Night Party
Although there is a lot to do – before we crack on with the work we take the time to celebrate the play that has just finished. Cast, crew, director, and a few others usually gather in the bar after the show. It’s a time when we say our thank yous. The cast thank their director and there is usually a little gift and card for the director. In turn the director will often make a short speech thanking everyone who has contributed to making the show a success.
Following this, it’s party time, drinks from the bar and a “bring and share buffet” – hopefully not everyone has brought quiche! If a play mentions a particular food item in the script, often someone will bring that item to the buffet – if it is practical and appropriate. For example “Pack of Lies” mentions a chocolate honey cake that “Aunt Sophie” used to bake, and sure enough our fantastic prompt baked one and brought it for us to enjoy.
Set Strike
After Saturday night comes Sunday morning, and at CHADS that means “Set Strike.” For those who might not know, Set Strike is when we dismantle the set and clear the stage so that the construction team can start building the set for the next production.
Generally, all the cast will turn up to help. While it’s not actually compulsory, cast members would need a pretty good reason for not being there. In the case of Pack of Lies, Sarah (who played Julie in the play) turned 21 during the run of the play – so she had had to postpone celebrating with her family until the Sunday. She was of course excused.
Although we refer to this work morning as Set Strike (and this is the biggest and most important job of the morning) there are lots of other tasks that need to happen. Props need to be returned to the props store. The dressing room needs cleaning, and rearranging so that it can be used as rehearsal space. Also wardrobe department will gather up the costumes and arrange for anything that needs it, to be washed or cleaned before it goes back on the racks.
Internal Review
While we strive to make our productions as good as we can, we are only human and sometimes there will be things that could have been done better. So typically various groups within the theatre will meet not long after a production to review what worked well and what didn’t.
For example the marketing and publicity team have already met to talk about lessons learned from how we publicised the show. The things that worked well we will do again for the next show, things that could be improved on we will try to do better on for the next show. The finance team will look at what the show cost to put on and compare it with the ticket sales. Did the show break even? If not, how does that affect our future productions?
The Adjudication/Critique
CHADS like many other local theatres is a member of GMDF (Greater Manchester Drama Federation). As part of the membership an independent adjudicator will come and watch our shows and provide a written critique of the show. This is valuable independent feedback for actors, directors and others involved in the production. It’s referred to as an adjudication because the best shows, performances etc are recognised at an annual awards ceremony each year – a sort of local theatre version of the Oscars. Last season CHADS received several nominations and we won an award for our production of “Entertaining Angels”.
This adjudication/critique generally arrives a week or two after the close of the play – but can occasionally arrive earlier.
We open in September with Pack of Lies by Hugh Whitemore. A play about spies in the suburbs, still topical and based on a true story about a Soviet espionage network called the Portland Spy Ring.
In the lead up to Halloween we have a ghost story. The Haunting of Hill House will put goosebumps on your goosebumps!
For Christmas we have the riotous farce Don’t Dress for Dinner and then in January we are doing The Unexpected Guest, a murder mystery by the Queen of Crime, Agatha Christie.
In March we have Florian Zeller’s poignant play about a man suffering from dementia – The Father.
We finish the main stage season with one of the best-known classics: Sense and Sensibility by Jane Austen, adapted by Jessica Swale.
Meanwhile in the Studio we have two plays: Halcyon Days by Deirdre Kinahan, an uplifting, bittersweet drama set in a nursing home, celebrating friendship and the human spirit; and Murder, Margaret and Me by Philip Meeks, about Agatha Christie and the actress Margaret Rutherford who famously played Miss Marple.
There will be reading evenings in the Bar on Friday 23rd and Tuesday 27th February to allow everyone to sample the plays and the audition dates are Tuesday 12th March, Sunday 17th March and Sunday 24th March. Full details about the reading evenings and auditions will be sent out in due course. For now please put these dates in your diaries, the Plays Selection and Casting Committee (PSCC) look forward to seeing you there.
This amateur production of “The Hollow” is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. on behalf of Samuel French Ltd.
]]>In the coming weeks, we would like to add information about the different ‘departments’ (for want of a better word) at the theatre so that new and potential members can get a better idea about how they can get involved with Chads.
If you are a member of Chads and are part of a particular ‘department’ Eg set construction, bar, props, wardrobe, plays and casting, sound, lighting, front of house etc – and are willing to write a few words about what is involved in that part of theatre life please let us know.
– The web team
webmaster@chads.co.uk
We are trying something different this year to make the AGM a social event as well as its important business role. Exec have agreed to put on a light buffet and give everyone who attends the AGM one free drink. We are aiming to get the business side of things completed promptly so there will be plenty of time to socialise and reminisce about the last season.
Mel Beswick will entertain us with her original songs while we eat. As well as being an accomplished actor Mel is a regular attraction on the Stockport gig circuit.
We hope to see you all there,
If you are planning on attending the AGM and haven’t already done so please email the Chads chairman so we have an idea of numbers for catering. (Email address in the email that went out about the AGM)
p.s. it will be a light buffet so still have your tea
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