Traditions - Part 2

When a director arrives at the theater on opening night, their first job is to go backstage and break the actors’ legs. Don’t ask me how this tradition started, but it’s a fun one. According to the rules of this ritual, the customary response is to shout something like “what the hell are you doing? You’re totally misinterpreting this tradition! Just say it, don’t actually do it.” Supposedly this brings everybody good luck, and let me tell you, I believe it. The reviews for Hamlet on opening night glossed over a lot of deficiencies in favor of praising the actors “bravery for going on with the show.”