The term "night off" in theatre can be taken to mean a number of things:
- The show closed.
- You've been fired and the show is going on anyway.
- You were on the lunch shift at the restaurant where you wait on table.
- You're travelling to the next tour date.
At the Everyman Rep, however, it actually means a night off.
Well, as far as actually having time to sit down and learn, or even begin to understand, the lines means a night off. Or finding just the right Justin Beaver song for the... what's that? It's Bieber? Apparently it's Bieber. Justin Bieber song for the soundtrack means a night off.Or even as far as having to sit down and rewrite sections of the script as we've decided to set it in 2011 not in the middle of the 17th century, and the lines about ribbons and wigs are not funny anymore, means a night off.
Fortunately, baggy pants are still fashionable, people still wear plenty of bing - what's that? Bling? - apparently it's bling, and outrageous hairstyles are still common. Well, maybe not in Camden and Rockport. But somewhere.
And does anyone else out there know what a gewgaw is? Or even recognise it when it's spelt properly?
For those two or three of you in the world who might be interested it means: a gaudy plaything or ornament, a trifle, a pretty thing of little value, a toy or bauble (OED).
And, OK, it can be spelt geegaw, but not in Great Expectations it's not.