Downton Abbey, a program featured on Masterpiece Theater, provided a handful of colorful expressions that date surprisingly far back. “Like it or lump it,” meaning “deal with it,” is found at least as early as 1830 and takes...
In the theater, actors who forget their lines are said to “go up” or to “go up on their lines.” But why go up? This is part of a complete episode.
Ask a Roman! A theater student from Texas is having an argument with a friend about the word vomitorium. He says that in ancient Rome, a vomitorium was a room where revelers went to purge after overindulging at the banquet table. True? This is part...
Are fairy tales too scary for children? A survey of parents in Britain found that more than half wouldn’t read them to their children before age five. Martha and Grant discuss the grisly imagery in fairy tales, and whether they’re too...
actorist n.— Note: “Actorvist” is a more common word with the same meaning. «Blending theatrics and activism is a role well suited to Guzmán-Orozco, who even has a name for it—“actorist.” He explains, “I’ve used performances...
When a theater company gives out free tickets to a performance, it’s called “papering the house.” But what kind of “paper” are we talking about, anyway? This is part of a complete episode.