Welcome to the English we speak with you, Neil.

And you, Jaying.

And for today's English phrase, we're off to the theatre.

But not literally.

The show must go on.

All the world's stage. These are well known theatre-related phrases.

They are, but this phrase is completely new and describes the act of someone appearing to work hard when in reality they're not being very productive.

We call this productivity theatre.

Okay, so normally productivity relates to the rate at which goods are made or work is completed, but theatre implies the

activity is just an act.

It's pretend.

Correct.

Theatre, used as an adjective, can describe someone's exaggerated or insincere behavior.

We can call this theatrical.

So in the workplace, someone may try to look busy by speaking loudly or shuffling lots of paper, but it's an act.

They are performing productivity theatre.

So we shouldn't be fooled.

Looking busy doesn't mean you are busy. I think we should hear more about

this in these examples. She says she hasn't time to write the report, but I know it's just productivity theatre.

Typing loudly at work isn't really being efficient, it's just productivity theatre.

She always claims she has to work late,

but I know she slinks off when everyone's gone home.

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