The superstition goes back to several accounts of terrible things happening to actors and sets alike, from the first performance of “Macbeth,” when Shakespeare himself had to play the role of Lady Macbeth since the boy who was to play her suddenly died. King James hated the show so much, he shut it down. Over the years, there have been tales of injuries, bad luck, and even death at performances.

In order to reverse the bad luck, the person who uttered the word must exit the theater, spin around three times saying a profanity, and then ask for permission to return inside. Other variations require spitting over your shoulders or simply spewing a lot of curse words. The best thing to do is not say the word at all. If you must refer to the play, call it “The Scottish Play.”

Don’t say you haven’t been warned.