New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-06
SLANG OF THE STAGE.

-
QUAINT TERMS HEARD IN GREEN-ROOMS.
now ACTORS AND ACTRESSES DTsToRT THE YER
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. OF MANY OF TIE
WORDS COMMONLY USED.
Theatrical slang is very much like any other
ang Il is an outgrowth Of those careless methods Of
speaking that come upon people who acquire contempt
begotten by Familiarity. At rehearsas BY day and per-
formances by night the actor 10 continually hearing
suited and unnatural such as no one ever uses
in ordinary conversation. On the stage the common
workman uses better, rather more high-soundtug
English than IS ever really heard in the parlors OF the
wealthy In the older and in the tragedies the
language Ia stin and artificial like an old brocade The
entire atmosphere that surrounds the actor 10 the exer
else OF his calling Ia full OF aectaton Hence be- by re-
version Of feeling probably prone TO the use OF
slang Than other persons It y coufoitto him to walk
on the drop language or blank verse and assume
that OF the Bowery. After declaiminG inflated lines
until he hoarse IL aJOy TO him 10 retire to the dress
ngrOom and there converse In phrases that would no
uuinteiglDle In seminary. Nor are the women OF the
stage without thia feeling. They are TOO often
ready TO indulge in the easy familiarity Of slang They
will cit In the greenroom and chat with their friends
IN terms that would be without meaning to all that
part of the world which lie not "behind the scenes"
There Is no thought OF iDdecacy IN their mlndsj and
coll would DO EeRarded with horror In
fashionable are uttered In the greenroom
without wrong intent
10 familiar TO every But they possess large num-
Der of terms which unknown to the outsde world
The majority Of these may be cassed under the head OF
technicaltes; but many Of thom are arbitrary terms
whose origin and reason for existence are puEzes In
deed t Is probable that the perseveng etyologs
would find It overwhelming task TO trace the derVa
ton of any word that may be ciassed as theatrical
slang with tho exception, perhaps, Of few ample
technical terms. The usage and special meaning OF
theatrical slang, however, are easy to ASCERTAIN, ana
are not without interest and amusement The
general term used 20 designate actor Is fakr,"
q word which originally meant magician. From 1t Is
coined the verb "fake," which means 70 initiate or
sham. Few actors willing 70 acknowledge that
other actors good hence the slang Of tue theatre
abounds used to designate bad actors Or these
the most frequent are "dufFer," "snde actor" and
a. bum actor" Tho variety" player ID looked down
upon by the legitimate actor and Is called "ham" Ac-
tors are like sailors they always believe the failure OF
MAY lie due 10 the presence OF some unfortunate per-
former and he is accordingly called Jonah" To all
companes actors plays theatres that not to
the standard of excellence the epithets queer" tart
and "of color" are applied. Fair woman. when
not an adept ia art, Is called a"dizzy dame"
The society actor whose trlumphs are generally made
Ia elaborate drawing-room SETS" Is called
" dress-coat actor" in distinction from the
ct or OF shakespearean and other standard dramas who
belongs TO tho Legitimate" and Ia generally regarded
as an old-tmer" The supernumerares, those patient
10 sneak and never getting shOrn Of tnsir diRuod
eppelattop and dubbed "supes There is also that
happy performer has learned TO be too fond OF the
cup that nebrases. He has several poetic names |
arzzler," "budGer." Soaker" and gin hend" When
he ia under the influence OF his favorte beverage he s
said to be "usb." There is custom OF fling out the
numbers of the chorus In comic operas with persons
bo do not sing and these Interesting individuals
known as dummies" The manager OF theatre 10 |
always known as the governor" Ths audience |
IA always called 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 little for them, how
ever; they give him only kid glove applause" |
The gentlemen who lock down kindly upon him from
the gallery are his Iavorites and he Gala them the
gods" Tie leader OF the Drchestra is usually great
fayortte with the actor, aud Is hailed famhary as
Dutchy" BOSS fiddler" or "eatGut" Actors In eis'
waited positions are generally polite IN their converse
lion but many In the lower ranks always address one
another as cully" favorite expression, IN speaking
NJ any friend Ia hs nbs" and II that friend happens
10 enter the theatre in coat he will probably hear
one OF his brother to another "Ohl stag his
pibs" which means simply "look at him." This expires
sion ia sometimes varied by the charming wsrds, get
on to bis nags."
The used on the stage itself 10 reference to
stage business are numerous When anything Is inten-
tionaly omitted from the text OF play 10 said 70 DO
cut" II an actor forgea his lines, and stops to THINK
he Ia said TO stick" One who bellows his words at the
TOD Of his voice. and tears passion to tatters, is
spouter" o "ranter or hOwler," and Is believed
to be in the habit Of eating scenes" II in addition 70
ranting he indulges in over-eaborate eocution he La
Z" mouther." comedian who depends upon unnatural
imaces to evoke the laughter Of tho multitude Is said
to mug" Ono who makes speciality of Disgusting his
face in some hideous manner s said to mug up Some
times an actor dspleased with the part allotted to him.
and revenges himself upon the MANAGER ey guying'
that s by making Of his role Guyng" also appnes
10 the act of introducing funny business ntoa part ir
the purpose OF making other persons on tho stage
Some actors have habit Of nterpolattng expressions
Of their into the text. One who does thas kasI
These extempOro phrases often please the euoSnce,
but as general thing the other members OF the company
think they are simply rot" The curtain IL often cae
the rag and the actors delight is 70 sec TINS reg
dropped at the end of o long performances Howevcr,
he seldom grumbles II HE part be fuu OF tcing
speeches in which case it IL "fat The action on the
stage Is known az business" which term always
shortened into biz" actor f0rgets his lines tns
prompEer has 10 assist him. and sccordlngV Is re-
uuested to ." throw the word The actor aways
Knows his turn speak from the last three or i9us
words OF the speech before his, which - csnea
the "oue," Often when IL IL found tnat
q performance 10 dragging out It's weary length
70 40 irtoeraby late hour the actors ara requested
come down 70 cues ~ In which cess tho uniortuaate
author be n pnnasi& mads miserable ~ hearing