Some idioms based on the world of the theatre, opera and cinema.

1. [Multiple choice]

He’s waiting in the wings.

(The wings – plural noun – are the sides of the stage, which cannot be seen by the people watching the play, opera or musical.
To wait in the wings indicates a willingness to wait patiently, aware there is no point in hurrying an event which is going to happen anyway.You may hear the phrase at work, when a person knows he/she will enjoy promotion or special attention shortly, but is getting ready quietly and not attracting attention.
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Answers for Quiz [1].

• 1. He wants to be an angel.
• 2. He is not yet active or important, but is ready or likely to be so soon. (correct)
• 3. He’s waiting at the side of a building.
• 4. He’s ready to help an actress with a quick costume change.

2. [Multiple choice]

It ain’t over ‘til the fat lady sings.

(One of the most impressive arias in an opera was very often at the end, and sung by a soprano. As early opera-singers were often amply-proportioned the ‘fat lady’ refers to the fact that the last song will be worth waiting for, and that the song may change the ending of the story of the opera. The phrase is used now to mean it is important not to assume you know what the ultimate outcome will be until all facts have been revealed, and to be prepared for a surprise.)

Answers for Quiz [2].

• 1. It’s important not to leave until the very end of an opera.
• 2. The final decision hasn’t been made yet, so don’t assume you know the result. (correct)
• 3. You’ll miss the best song if you don’t wait until the lady appears.
• 4. I think they’re keeping the most gifted performer until the end of the talent show.

3. [Multiple choice]

It takes two to tango.

(You cannot have an argument or fight without two participants.)

Answers for Quiz [3].

• 1. I can’t run a dance class unless I get more people to attend.
• 2. They like dancing – especially Latin American dancing.
• 3. Take your partners so we can learn some dances for couples.
• 4. I don’t believe only one person is in the wrong – they must both be at fault to some extent. (correct)

4. [Multiple choice]

He always has to be the one in the limelight.

(to be in the limelight is to be the focus of (public) attention; to steal the limelight is to attract more attention than anyone or anything else in a situation – perhaps to the detriment of others who deserved more credit.
Limelight was an early form of stage lighting that used an actual flame. A spotlight focuses on an actor or group to highlight his / her / their performance.
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Answers for Quiz [4].

• 1. He likes to be sure he can be seen easily and clearly.
• 2. He likes to be able to work in a good light.
• 3. He wants to be paid more attention than anyone else. (correct)
• 4. He is fond of trees, and these lime trees are particularly beautiful this year.

5. [Multiple choice]

I hate it when footballers ham it up with their injuries.

(Actors apply stage makeup (greasepaint) to give their features colours that the strong lights remove. The original sticks of greasepaint were made from animal fat, primarily pig fat or ham and were thick and smelly until it was turned into a cream by Max Factor in Hollywood. When someone says that a performance was hammy they are referring to oldstyle stage makeup, and it means it was excessively theatrical. Footballers sometimes ‘ham it up’ as a means to be granted a significant penalty or advantage.)

Answers for Quiz [5].

• 1. Because they are injured they hope to get extra helpings of meat after the match.
• 2. They pretend they are injured to get sympathy from the crowd.
• 3. They behave in an overly theatrical way, exaggerating the extent to which they are hurt. (correct)
• 4. They remind me of how animals behave when they are injured.

6. [Multiple choice]

My friend’s a bit of a prima donna.

(To be a prima donna means you expect to be treated in a special way, and are difficult to please. Eg “Some of these footballers’ wives are real prima donnas, apparently.”
A prima donna is the most important female singer in an opera company.

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Answers for Quiz [6].

• 1. She seems to be quite talented on the operatic front.
• 2. She is putting on more weight than she would like.
• 3. She sings superbly.
• 4. She tends to be difficult to please, and often expects special treatment. (correct)

7. [Multiple choice]

Break a leg!

(There is a lot of superstition in the theatre world, even today. It is still not the custom to say ‘good luck’ to an actor before a show, as it is believed that this is inviting ‘fate’ to inflict some form of disaster on the troupe or actor. The reason for saying “Break a leg!” is that talented understudies have often got their lucky ‘break’ (= chance to do well) when something unfortunate, such as an accident, happened to an actor playing a main part.
When you are standing in the wings before a performance, you will hear people saying ‘Break a leg!’ to each other, and ‘good luck’ cards sent to the acting company use the same phrase eg “Break a leg, everyone!”.
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Answers for Quiz [7].

• 1. I hope the play goes well. (correct)
• 2. After the way you treated your understudy this morning I hope you end up in hospital.
• 3. I hope the play goes badly.
• 4. You can still go on stage, even though you are on crutches.

8. [Multiple choice]

I thought the bride’s mother upstaged the bride rather.

(To upstage someone is to divert attention away from someone towards oneself, usually inappropriately, as here, when the bride (not her mother!) is customarily the main focus of attention. It is based on positioning oneself on stage in such a way that other actors are forced to turn away from the audience, so their faces can no longer be seen.)

Answers for Quiz [8].

• 1. The bride’s mother looked more attractive than the bride. (correct)
• 2. The bride’s mother’s outfit was more revealing than the bride’s.
• 3. The bride’s mother talked so animatedly you couldn’t hear the bride.
• 4. The bridegroom couldn’t take his eyes off his mother-in-law.

9. [Multiple choice]

Could you just run that by me again?

(“Run that by me again” comes from the cinema world, meaning to replay a tape or film.)

Answers for Quiz [9].

• 1. Please test-drive the car again.
• 2. I’d be grateful if you could keep exercising my dog while I watch.
• 3. I beg your pardon?
• 4. I didn’t catch what you said, could you say it again? (correct)

10. [Multiple choice]

What a drama queen she is!

(A drama queen is someone who gets excessively upset or angry over small problems, inappropriately so, as if she wants people to feel sorry for her. Sometimes people will say quietly to each other ‘Another day, another drama’ of someone who regularly overreacts in this way.)

Answers for Quiz [10].

• 1. Doesn’t she look the part, dressed up the way she is?
• 2. She loves everything to do with the world of the theatre.
• 3. I am impressed by what a good actress she is.
• 4. She gets upset or angry over the most ordinary things. (correct)