Re: (Tears) Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss

On 6/9/24 1:30 PM, William Hyde wrote:

Don wrote:

James Nicoll wrote:

Report on Probability A by Brian W. Aldiss
>
A New Wave tale of observational recursion,
>
https://jamesdavisnicoll.com/review/a-straight-a-student

>
Thank you for the embedded link to _The Hireling Shepherd_. It's another
example where an artistic image's blatant symbolism clobbers me in the
head with the force of the stupid hammer.
     _The Hireling Shepherd_ brings to mind a similar sexual situation in
_Fifth Business_ (Davies). The author, apparently an aficionado of
Shakespeare, kindly defines Fifth Business in his preface. Perhaps you,
in your role of theater staff member, also recognize the phrase, James.
>
     Fifth Business … Definition
>
     Those roles which, being neither those of
     Hero nor Heroine, Confidante nor Villain,
     but which were none the less essential to
     bring about the Recognition or the dénouement
     were called the Fifth Business in drama
     and opera companies organized according
     to the old style; the player who acted these
     parts was often referred to as Fifth Business.
>
     —Tho. Overskou, Den Danske Skueplads

  Davies invented the term, and this quotation.

I've only read that he admitted to making up the quotation, not the term itself.  I could completely believe that it's a real theatrical or operatic term -- it makes perfect sense.  But I never heard it while performing with San Francisco Opera Ballet.  And I can't find it in the OED, at least not the online version.  So I guess Davies did make it up.   (But I'm going to ask a friend who owns the complete OED to check.)
There's another old theatrical tradition, which I thought had died out to such an extent that most people would never have heard of it.  So I was surprised how frequently and recently it's been used.  I knew of one use ... and I've used it myself:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Spelvin
--
Dudley Brooks, Artistic Director
Run For Your Life! ... it's a dance company!
San Francisco