@david_castleton@universeodon.com
2026-04-03 17:04 UTC
The notion that Macbeth is an unlucky play, whose name should never be mentioned in a theatre except during performance and rehearsal, only seems to have emerged in the early 20th century. Between the 1st and 2nd World Wars, a ritual evolved in which anyone who said 'Macbeth' instead of 'the Scottish play' had to leave the theatre, turn round three times, spit, curse then knock to be let back in. Though a 'fake history' of disasters dating back to Shakespeare's time was constructed, Macbeth usually proved to be a lucky play. A perennial crowd pleaser, it brought in good revenue. #history #folklore #mythology #weird #Shakespeare #theatre #gothic
Replies (3)
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@theseliminaldays@musician.social 2026-04-03 17:23
@david_castleton It may be anachronistic but I remember seeing this years and years ago and finding it so very funny. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h--HR7PWfp0
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@WhatACharmingHouse@mastodon.social 2026-04-03 17:50
@david_castleton This if a fascinating piece of theatre lore. Actors are as superstitious as baseball players.
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@EricBranse@mastodon.scot 2026-04-03 19:02
@david_castleton The production of Macbeth by Duns Players in 2019 was very successful although I managed to break both of my wrists tumbling off a bit of Skye 3 weeks before (so I looked the part of the wounded soldier) and our Banco slipped and broke a rib the week before we opened...We publicised the injuries as part of the marketing!