Let Them Eat Chookas!

Chookas! :: Loftus // DreamCanvas // No flashHere’s some trivia on Australian theatre for you: instead of saying ‘break a leg’ to wish a performer good luck, we say ‘Chookas!’ Apparently it refers to days of yore when it was considered the performers would dine well if there was a full house in the theatre for the evening’s performance – dining on chooks (Aussie slang for chicken) rather than plain bread. It is not a very elegant expression however, it must be said.

In a new tradition established only last Friday night, if there were not enough theatre staff on hand that day to sign the congratulatory card for the Opening Night of a performance, the nearest designer is called upon to fill the gap with a drawing. With moments to spare and only an unforgiving pen to hand what does said designer hastily doodle-do? Why a chook of course.