The Diamond of Drury Lane (32 page)

FLASH
. . . showy

FLAT
. . . someone easily fooled

FOGRUM
. . . senile old man

FUNK
. . . to back out, to fight shy

GERRARD STREET
. . . a favourite street of writers, artists and print sellers

GIMCRACK
. . . showy but worthless

GOB-FULL OF CLARET
. . . a bloody mouth

GREEN ROOM
. . . place where actors wait to go on stage, so called because of the colour of its walls

GROSVENOR SQUARE
. . . high-class part of the West End of London

HEMPEN FEVER
. . . death by hanging (the rope is made of hemp)

HOG-GRUBBER
. . . mean, nasty, sneaking person

HOYDEN
. . . boisterous girl

ISLINGTON
. . . country village, north of London

JARVEY
. . . driver of a hackney cab

LAID UP IN LAVENDER
. . . pawned

MARYLEBONE FIELDS
. . . open land just north of Oxford Street

MOONSHINE
(a load of . . .) . . . insubstantial rubbish

NIPPING-JIG
. . . dance of death on the gallows

NOSEGAY
. . . little bouquet to hide bad odours (and there are plenty of them around my neighbourhood)

NOT WORTH A FART
. . . you don’t really need me to explain this, do you?

THE PIT
. . . lowest level in the theatre, frequented by gentlemen and those aspiring to be counted in that class

THE POOL
. . . moorings in the Thames

PORTER
. . . a dark beer

PRIG
. . . self-righteous know-it-all (as well as lots of other meanings I won’t repeat)

THE ROOKERIES
. . . also known as St Giles, a dangerous district you should avoid if you want to emerge with your possessions, teeth and hair intact

THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE
. . . the best theatre in the world. And my home, just off Covent Garden

TOGS
. . . clothes

TOWER OF LONDON
. . . fortress and prison

WAPPING
. . . the docks (keep an eye on your valuables)