Actors and theatre folk in general are notoriously superstitious. This is probably explained by the fact that there is so much potential for disaster involved in live performance, and it is useful to be able to blame catastrophe on powers beyond our control. Although it would be a gross generalisation to suggest that all actors believe in the various superstitions, most do observe the taboos for fear of upsetting their superstitious colleagues. Thus we find that in theatres all over the world, the following practices are right out:
- Wishing people good luck: Perversely, "Good Luck" is the worst thing you can wish an actor before he or she goes on stage. The very utterance of those words, or indeed any analogous phrase, will inspire despair in the superstitious actor, who will take it as an omen that only bad luck will attend his or her performance. The favoured alternative is "Break a leg", but any formula of words which expresses your hope that the actor will be visited by physical injury is acceptable.
- Whistling in the theatre: Whistling anywhere in a theatre building, either during rehearsals or performance, is anathema to the superstitious actor. If a careless assistant director or stage manager thoughtlessly whistles a cheerful tune while carrying out some technical task, you will see superstitious actors clutching at their heads in despair, as if the lighting rig were about to collapse around their ears.
- Naming the Scottish play: Apart from actors who have to speak it as part of a line, the word "Macbeth" is not used in the theatre. Instead, Macbeth is termed "The Scottish Play", and woe betide any poor fool who pipes up, "Oh, you guys are rehearsing Macbeth, right? I love that play!" This particular superstition was sent up in a classic episode of Blackadder, in which the foppish actors had to perform a preposterous and painful ceremony whenever somebody said "Macbeth". Various ceremonies do exist to purge the ill fortune incurred by saying "Macbeth", but they are in general less elaborate.
These superstitions are perhaps on the wane in today's modern, scientific age, but one would be wrong to assume that it is kosher to make fun of them among other theatre folk. Some still take them seriously, and as theatre is the most collaborative of art forms, it is important to be sensitive to even the most irrational of your colleagues' preoccupations.