For centuries, actors and theater enthusiasts have avoided saying the name Macbeth inside a theater, fearing it will bring disaster upon their production. Instead, they refer to it as “The Scottish Play.” But where did this superstition come from, and is there any truth to it?

According to legend, Shakespeare’s Macbeth is cursed because the playwright used real witchcraft spells in the text. This angered witches who placed a hex on the play. As a result, productions throughout history have been plagued by accidents, injuries, and even deaths.

One of the earliest recorded mishaps occurred in 1606 when the actor playing Lady Macbeth suddenly died. Over the centuries, various productions have faced bizarre misfortunes, from sets collapsing to actors being injured on stage. In one famous case, during a 1937 production starring Laurence Olivier, a falling stage weight narrowly missed him, and a real sword fight resulted in serious injuries.

To get rid of the curse, actors who accidentally say Macbeth inside a theater must follow a ritual to cleanse themselves of bad luck. In order to do so, you must step outside, spin three times, spit over your shoulder, curse, and then knock to be let back in. Whether the curse is real or simply theatrical superstition, many performers still avoid saying Macbeth just in case. After all, in the unpredictable world of theater, who wants to take the risk?