THEATRICAL SLANG.

To a large extent theatrical slang is a matter of abbreviation. The "Profession" seldom use a whole word when part will do as well, and they begin by calling themselves "pros." A theatrical notice in the newspapers is not a "paragraph," but a "par." "Bisi" is " business.'' but there are two kinds of it—" good "biz! means full " houses " ; when " biz " is bad the treasury is empty, and " the ghost walks." The actor's " biz," however, is quite a different thing, and so important that it is often given its unabbreviated name of "business," It includes all the player's by-play. Hamlet's trifling with Ophelia's fan in the play scene, the clown's manipulation of the poker, the funny man's antics with the whisky-bottle, Dundreary's hop, are all the special " business " of the gentleman who plays the part. The " business "is often not in the " book." It is frequently introduced by the creator of a part, tradition handing it down from generation to generation. " Business "in old plays has been traced back to before the days of Gavrick ; indeed the creators of some of the Shakspo v ian characters are still, it is believed, followed in their readings by the old school of actors. Cowley and Kempe, for instance, are responsible for the " business " of Dogberry and Verges ; and the waistcoats of the first gravedigger in " Hamlet " are as old as the 17th century. " His original character " is a line the actor likes to be able to add to his name in the playbill. It really means that the " original business " of the part is his. When one character's business is so great as to be the chief feature of the play, the piece is called after him. Thus, the popular farce " Turn Him Out " is " Nobb's Piece." " Business " in this sense was in use in theatrical circles 130 years ago ; and long before, maybe.

The classification of players, according to their line of business, is little thought of now-a-days. Until lately, however, it was very arbitrary. The " heavy man " was he who played such parts as Hamlet's uncle, lago, the " tiger " in the " Tickct-of -Leave Man." Oassio was " walking gentleman " ; the " utility man " was he who made himself useful ; the " low comedian " could not poach on the preserves of the " light comedian " ; there were " old women " (first and second), " singing chambermaids," " leading juveniles," and "boys." These terms are still in daily use, but long " runs " will be the death of them. An actor is chosen nowadays to fill one part, when formerly he played a hundred parts in a season. The manager of a " stock company " was always careful to have his '.' heavy man," "chambermaid," &c, and his "scores" of plays— that is to say, his lists of dramatis personre in the pieces he had down for production had opposite each name, in pencil-marks, the" technical term for the man who would play it. Instead of " Hamlet — Mr So-and-So," the score read "Hamlet — leading juvenile." Old-fashioned managers and playwrights still have this custom. The term "run" was used above. Fielding has in it the same sense.

When the player is in the provinces he is " on the road " — the phrase obviously a relic of the times when actors played in barns and journeyed from town to town in waggons. Some companies only go to the small 1 owns, when they are said to be " doing the smalls." Members of provincial companies are " out." To have a part in the piece being played is to be " on." If you do not know your words you are a " fluffer," and to " queer the manager's pitch " is to disappoint him. Few actors who play a variety of parts are well acquainted with any part in a piece but their own. They trust to the "cue" to keep them right. The "cue" is the sentence spoken by another which they have to follow. Often they only watch for the last word of the sentence. Then the "cue" is "the word.' 1 "Fat" is a slang term for good business — a telling speech or anything else that the actor can make much of. By-the-bye, " fat " is a popnlar slang term in several trades and professions, meaning something different in each. The compositor's " fat," for instance, is the blank space for which he is paid without having any type to " set." Rosalind's prologue in "As You Like It " is a " lovely tag," that being a " tag " in which the player addresses the audience. These are known as " the front of the house," and the theatre is the " shop." The play itself is called the " show." This term is but a year or two old, but is already popular. Much more ancient is the " gods " for the occupants of the gallery.

" Props," the abbreviation in use for " pro* perties," is a very important term. Everything stored at the theatre for use on the stage is a " prop " ; these are the manager's props. The actor's props are the articles of clothing which he has to provide for himself. These vary according to the status of the company ; managers of repute providing everything except tights and a few other articles, while needy managers like their company to have a "wardrobe" of their own. "Plot" is used with a somewhat peculiar significance. There are a number of "plots" to every play. Thus the " scene plot " is a list ©f the various scenes. The " flyman's plot " is a list of the articles required by the flyman, or man in the " flies." There is similarly a " gasman's plot." The "property plot " includes all properties used in the piece, and the prompter is responsible for their all being to hand at the proper time. The least important of the prompter's duties, indeed, is to prompt.

To get a " reception " is to be welcomed with applause from the front when you make your first appearance for the evening ; to have a " call " is to be cheered back to bow your acknowledgments when you go off. Quite as much store is set on a reception as on a call. The one means that you are recognised as a favourite, the other that you have made a " hit." The " star," or leading player, is put sadly out of countenance if he comes on in silence ; and the "super" has sometimes to suffer for it. By calling "supers" "supes," the actor contrives to get rid of the second syllable of "supernumeraries." " Super is vaguely used at

times- to include the chorus ; though the ladies of the latter, at all events, recognise a difference. They sing while the super is mute. The ballet-lady, on the other hand, does not sing — she dances. Of course, there are slang terms for all these ; and here is a true little anecdote explaining the difference between a chorus-girl and a ballet-lady. A few weeks ago, some one asked an actor in a comic opera if his wife, who is also on the stage, played in the same piece. " No," he said gravely, " she is not a singer ; she's a kicker." When an actor is out of an engagement he advertises in the chief theatrical paper that he is "waiting" or "resting." Managers making up a company invite "capable people " to " write in." They are pretty sure to address the ladies who respond as their " dear child." If Shakespeare is to be played, only those " artists " need apply who are "well up" in the "legitimate. 1 A manager of the old school will ask them what they " sell," meaning what kind of parts they play. Preference is given to a comedian for. farce or burlesque who can " gag," or introduce matter of his own into a piece on the spur of the moment — a reference to a meeting of the local Board of Guardians, for instance. If the business is bad the house is filled with " dead-heads "—" — persons invited to come gratis. These have a written admission from the manager, and hence the term a " paper house." But of theatrical slang there is no end. — St. James' Gazette.