Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-03-19
SLANG OF THE STAGE.
QUAINT AND CURIOUS TERMS HEARD IN
GREEN-RooMs.

GREEN-RooMS.
How Actors and Actresses Distort the Yer
nacular- Significance Of Many Of
the Words Commonly Used
Theatrical slang is very much like any
other slang. 1t is an outgrowth of those
careless methods of speaking that come
upon people who acquire contempt begot.
ten by familiarity. At rehearsals by day
and performances by night the actor is con-
tlnually hearing stilted and unnatural Ian
guage such as no one ever uses in ordinary
conversation. On the stage the common
workman uses better, or rather more high
sounding, English than is ever really heard
in the parlors of the wealthy. In the older
comedies and in the tragedies the language
is stiff and artificial, like an old brocade.
The entire atmosphere that surrounds the
actor In the exercise of his calling is full
of afectation. Hence he, by reversion OF
feeling, is probably more prone to the use
| of slang than other persons. It is COM
fort to him to walk off the stage, drop the
language of blank versesand assume that OF
the Bowery. After declaiming inflated
lines until he is hoarse, it is Joy to him
to retire to the dressing-room and there
converse in phrases that would be unintel-
ligible in seminary Nor are the women
OF the stage without this same feeling.
They are too often ready to indulge in the
easy familiarity of slang. They viii sit in
the green room and chat with their friends
in terms that would be without meaning to
all that part of the world which is not ''be-
hind the scenes. There is no thought of
indelicacy in their minds and colloquial-
isms that would be regarded with horror
| in fashionable drawing room are uttered
in the green-room without wrong intent.
SLANG.
! The greater part of the slang used by
actors is such as is familiar to every one.
| But they possess a large number OF terms
which are unknown to the outside world.
The majority of these may be classed under
! the head of technicalities but many of
them are arbitrary terms whose origin and
reason for existence are puzzles. Indeed
| it is probable that the most persevering
etymologist would find it an overwhelming
task TO trace the derivation of any word
that may be claased az theatrical slang,
with the exception, perhaps, of few sim
| pie technical terms. The usage and special
meaning of theatrical slang, however, are
easy to ascertain, and are not without some
interest and amusement. The general
| term used to designate an actor is "fakir,
a word which originally meant a Magician
From it is coined the verb fake, which
means to initiate or sham. Few actors are
willing to acknowledge that other actors
are good hence the slang of the theater
abounds in terms used to designate bad
actors. OF these the most frequent are
duffer," Sc snide actor" and 'bum actor"
The g variety playeris looked down upon
by the legitimate actor, and is called a
+" ham," Actors are like sailors they al
ways believe the failure OF play is due to
the presence of some unfortunate performer,
and he Is accordingly called "Jonah."
To all companies, actors, plays and theaters
that are not up to the standard of excel
lence the epithets "queer,' tart " and
g off color are applied. Fair woman.
when not an adept in art, is called
"DIzzY DAME"
The society actor, whose triumphs are gen.
orally made in elaborate drawing-room
"sets, " is called "dress-coat actor" In
distinction from the actor of Shakespearean
and other standard dramas, who belong to
the legitimate, and is generally regarded
as an g old-timer" The supernumeraries,
those patient persons who are always
silent, always awaiting chance to
speak and never getting it, are shorn of
their dignided appellatlon and dubbed
"supes. There is also that unhappy per-
former who has learned to be too fond of
the cup that inebriates. He has several
poetic names guzzier," budger,
"soaker" and gin fend." When be is
under the influence of his favorite bever-
age he is said to be Lush. There is a
custom OF filing out the numbers of the
chorus In comic operas with persons who
do not sing, and these interesting individ-
uals are known as $ dummies" The man.
ager of theater is always known asa'' the
governor" The audience is always called
9 the house." Those who sit in the boxes
and orchestra stalls possess the greatest
charm for the manager, for they pay the
highest prices. The actor cares little for
them, however; they give him only kid
glove applause" The gentlemen who look
down so kindly upon him from the gallery
are his favorites, and he calls them "the
gods" The leader of the orchestra is.usu-
ally great favorite with the actor, and is
hailed Familiarity as Dutchy," "Boss
fiddler" or catgut." Actors in elevated
positions are generally polite in their con-
versation, but many in the lower ranks al
ways address one another as Gully" A
favorite expression, in speaking of any
friend, is g his nibs," and, if that friend
happens to enter the theater in new coat
he win probably hear one of his brother
actors say to another, "0h stag his nibs,
which means simply "look at him." This
expression is sometimes varied by the
charming words, get on to his nags"
STAGE EXPRESSIONS.