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Sucre
Manger du sucre. Applause given by claqueurs to actors is
called sucre (sugar). French actors and actresses make a regular
agreement with the manager for these hired applauders. While inferior
artists are obliged to accept a mere murmur of approval, others receive
a “salvo of bravos,” while those of the highest rôle demand a “furore” or éclat de rire, according to their line of acting, whether
tragedy or comedy. Sometimes the manager is bound to give actors “sugar
to eat” in the public journals, and the agreement is that the
announcement of their name shall be preceded with the words
“celebrated,” “admirable,” and so on. The following is part of the
agreement of a French actor on renewing his engagement (1869): “Que
cinquante claqueurs au moins feraient manger du sucre dès I'entrée en
scène, et que l'actrice rivale serait privée de cet agrèment.” (See Claque.)
Source: Dictionary of Phrase and Fable, E. Cobham Brewer, 1894 More on Sucre from Infoplease:
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