The Scottish Play

Macbeth is often referred to as "The Scottish Play" in theatrical circles due to a strong superstition known as the "Macbeth curse." This curse is believed to be triggered by mentioning the play's name, particularly within a theatre and is believed to bring bad luck or even disaster to a production.

To avoid the curse, actors and theatre professionals commonly use the term, "The Scottish Play."

Prevention

If an actor does accidentally say the name "Macbeth", a ritual which varies by theatre; is performed to ward off the curse.

A ritual might be leaving the room, spinning around three times, spitting, cursing, quoting a line from another Shakespeare play like Hamlet and then returning and requesting admittance back into the room.