your portal for australian theatre

Chookas!

Thu, 21 June 2001, 07:41 am

ali22 posts in thread

I was at work last night (we had our first preview) and everyone was running around with the normal ritual of saying "chookas".

It suddenly occurred to me, where on earth did this saying come from? We all have theories on "Break a leg" but I've never heard one for "chookas".

Any guesses?

By the way, has anyone heard anyone use "Break a leg" lately? All I've heard for the last few years is "chookas"...

RE: Theatre superstition

Sat, 23 June 2001, 12:38 am

Toby

My wife is a dancer from way back, and she informs me that (in Canada at least!) it is bad luck to say 'break a leg' to dancers, but rather than say 'chookas' (which I first heard in dance circles as a substitute for 'BAL') they would say the French 'merde' which won't translate on this family page - I am not sure if this is primarily a French-Canadian thing, or if it is supposed to have the same effect as 'break a leg' - ie a terrible-sounding thing to encourage a good show (I hope you have a merde show!!) - but then again she could just be yanking my chain!!

Amanda - as a dancer, have you heard of this one? Anyone?

T

Thread (22 posts)

Threaded Flat

Chookas!— ali21 June 2001

RE: Chookas!— Gill21 June 2001
- RE: Chookas!— Amanda21 June 2001
- RE: Chookas!— dingdong21 June 2001
  - RE: Chookas!— Toby22 June 2001
  - Theatre superstition— Toby22 June 2001
    - Leg Breaking— Toby22 June 2001
    - RE: That play— Grant Malcolm22 June 2001
      - ···
        RE: That play— Toby22 June 2001
    - RE: Theatre superstition— George22 June 2001
      - ···
        RE: Theatre superstition— JoeMc22 June 2001
        ···
        RE: Theatre superstition— Amanda Chesterton22 June 2001
        ···
        RE: Theatre superstition— JoeMc22 June 2001
        ···
        RE: Theatre superstition— Walter Plinge22 June 2001
        ···
        RE: Theatre superstition— Toby23 June 2001
RE: Chookas!— Walter Plinge23 June 2001
- RE: Chookas!— JoeMc24 June 2001
  - RE: Chookas!— Walter Plinge24 June 2001
    - RE: Chookas!— JoeMc26 June 2001
      - ···
        RE: Chookas!— JoeMc28 June 2001
RE: Chookas! Superstition— Walter Plinge23 June 2001
- RE: Chookas! Superstition— Walter Plinge29 June 2001

← Back to Green Room Gossip