Of "the Scottish play" and 3 lights from a match

I am informed that mentioning "McBeth" off stage was considered unluck because there are parts of the scenes with the witches which mimic (or reproduce) part of the "Black Mass" (can't say that I've noticed it, but there you go), thus associating oneself with this was unlucky.

The 3rd off a match predates the Great War. As I understand it, it dates back to the Crimea, to an old Russian superstition involving imitating a priest lighting church candles from a common taper.

By the bye, does anyone know the origin of the ban on whistling in a theatre? I've heard the "supernatural" version - whistling is part of the invocation of the Devil (who will arrive in a storm - hence whistle up a storm) and a more practical version - Whistle signals were used to move flys and the like around so you stand a chance getting a sand bag on the head.

"A whistling woman, a crowing hen are neither good for beast nor men."

Walrus