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Why is it considered bad luck to say 'Macbeth' in the theater?

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This is because, in the days when every town had a theatre, if the tickets for a particular run were not selling well, the theatre owners would often end the run and replace it with the, always popular, Macbeth. Actors usually preferred to do something new or different. Chris Lewis, Tyldesley, UK. read more

There are a lot of myths surrounding why this play is considered"bad luck." For those unaware of the superstition, in a nut shell it is considered bad luck to mention or quote from the Shakespeare play Macbeth while in a theatre; especially during a rehearsal or while backstage. read more

Macbeth was the most popular replacement so if you heard someone rehershing Macbeth in the wings before your play opened you knew that confidence was low. John Leith, Kirkwall, UK Theatrical folklore has it that, as revenge for Shakespeare's inclusion of a number of accurate spells within the play, a coven of witches cursed it for all eternity. read more

Ewan Thomson This is because, in the days when every town had a theatre, if the tickets for a particular run were not selling well, the theatre owners would often end the run and replace it with the, always popular, Macbeth. read more

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