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THE show must go on

Posted by Esc on January 15, 2003

In Reply to: Show must go on posted by or on January 15, 2003

: does anyone know the origin of this cliche?

THE SHOW MUST GO ON -- "Don't let calamity interrupt the proceedings; we mustn't stop what we are doing, even if something unfortunate has happened; it would make us look bad or worry the spectators. The saying and principle are traditional in the theater, but apparently they both originated in the 19th century with circuses. If an animal got loose or a performer was injured, the ringmaster and the band tried to keep things going so that the crowd would not panic." From The Dictionary of Cliches by James Rogers (Ballantine Books, New York, 1985).

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