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#4212 07/18/00 04:33 PM
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In the theater (theatre) world, one wishes good luck on opening night by saying "break a leg!" ... In French, they say, as only the French would, "Merde!" [sic]. Brazilians chose to emulate the latter, and say "Merda!" How about in other corners of our global village?


#4213 07/20/00 07:02 PM
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annastrophic
i discovered the japanese often write "hito", the kanji for person, on the palm of their hand and pretend to swallow it. when i find out why i'll post it.



#4214 07/21/00 12:49 AM
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william, I'll bet they are taking in the essence of the
character they are about to portray. Let us hear, hear?


#4215 07/21/00 01:44 PM
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apparently, the kanji "hito" is written three times on the palm of the hand with a finger (a common way to explain stroke order in japan). it is then symbolically swallowed before going out on stage. the people i spoke to said it wasn't about becoming the character (noble idea, jackie!) but about negating the effect of the audience. once you swallow them they can't make you nervous!
there is an expresson "hito wo nomu" which literally means "drink people". i'll have to find out exactly what this one means. in the depths of superstition here.
by the way when i sang in the opera it was bad luck to whistle in the dressing rooms. some of the old timers would get really angry if you forgot and let loose with a catchy tune from the show.


#4216 07/23/00 05:19 AM
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<apparently, the kanji "hito" is written three times on the palm of the hand with a finger>

Thanks for that, william! Good timing — I'll be able to try it out in a few days.

BTW, during my "Googling" for the appropriate kanji image, I stumbled across the following regarding "hito wo nomu". It is from a proverb:

"ippai hito sake wo nomi ... sambai sake hito wo nomu"
(At the first glass, the man drinks the brandy; at the third, the brandy drinks the man)

Yeah, I can relate to that!

Chookas! lusy


#4217 07/24/00 05:26 PM
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lusy
i see from your profile you're from my hometown.
and i see you're into musical theatre which may mean we have some common acquaintances.
anyway, i think the "hito wo nomu" thing might be different in the case of your proverb. i didn't know that one, but i know the words. mind you "brandy" sounds an old fashioned way to translate "sake" which i would translate as "alcohol".
i think the "hito wo nomu" that comes from the stage is related to "hito wo mikudasu", looking down on people. exactly why i'm not sure, but it seems if you can look down on the people you are performing to you have nothing to fear.
sounds kind of scary. i always tried to look on my audience as friends and that helped me.
maybe you should have three drinks of brandy before your show, and to hell with translations!
break a leg!
william


#4218 07/25/00 05:01 AM
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In reply to:

mind you "brandy" sounds an old fashioned way to translate "sake" which i would translate as "alcohol".


So does the Japanese word "sake" cover a much wider range than what we call "sake", then?

Bingley



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#4219 07/25/00 07:35 AM
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Thank you william, I much appreciate your post and your good wishes. Very interesting about the different versions of "hito wo nomu". Your concept of the audience as "friends" is a really good one, and I will try to adopt this attitude. Fortunately, in amateur theatre, which happens to be my bag, much of the audience tends to be relatives or friends or other kinds of well-wishers, and consequently it's always a bit easier for us than for the hard-working pros, whose audience and professional critics are only too ready and willing to cut them down ... as if they could do better, for God's sake!

Actually I don't much care for brandy as such, but I may perhaps be persuaded to have a nip or two of uishge before the event.

Rgds, lusy


#4220 07/25/00 02:49 PM
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"sake" as it is used in english refers to the rice alcohol made in japan. in japanese this is usually called "nihonshu": "japanese sake" (sake and shu are the same thing). "sake" by itself tends to mean alcohol in general, as in "sake ni you" (get drunk), "sakezuki" (someone who loves drinking) "izakaya" - sake changes to "zaka" - (drinking restaurant).
when compared with other drinks, however it can sometimes mean nihonshu.
there is also "osake" which is the respectful title, used mostly by women, and which never means nihonshu (as far as i know).
lusy, i never drank before a performance, but looking back it might have been better if i did!
what's the show?


#4221 07/26/00 12:13 AM
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william, thanks again. My word, I am learning a lot! As to having a nip or two before the show, I learned some time ago that the two don't really mix. Although I did enjoy being Pickering in My Fair Lady last year when, thanks to a beneficent props lady who went a bit overboard on the realism, I got to drink a glass of port during one scene! I don't think the director realised. The current show is The Gondoliers, in mid-season right now. Most enjoyable, even though quite sober!

Regards,

sakezuki lusy san (dear me, that has a nice ring to it!)


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