▁S lang ▁can ▁be ▁trac ed ▁only ▁as ▁early ▁as ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s , ▁whereas ▁the ▁phrase ▁" green ▁room " ▁pred ates ▁this ▁by ▁several ▁centuries , ▁making ▁such ▁an ▁et ym ology ▁unlikely . ▁ ▁Green ▁is ▁also ▁thought ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁cal ming ▁and ▁so othing ▁colour . ▁ ▁" T iring ▁houses " ▁ ▁In ▁Shakespeare ' s ▁day , ▁the ▁actors ▁waited ▁in ▁a ▁" t iring ▁house " ▁probably ▁because ▁actors ▁were ▁att ired ▁( put ▁on ▁or ▁changed ▁cost umes ) ▁in ▁this ▁space . ▁Here ▁it ▁is ▁mentioned ▁by ▁Peter ▁Qu ince ▁as ▁he ▁plans ▁for ▁his ▁acting ▁tr oupe ▁to ▁re he arse ▁in ▁the ▁woods : ▁ ▁Samuel ▁P ep ys ▁mentions ▁these ▁locations ▁at ▁the ▁Dr ury ▁Lane ▁Theatre ▁Royal ▁in ▁ 1 6 6 7 : ▁ ▁Other ▁mentions ▁ ▁Thomas ▁Sh ad well ' s ▁Rest oration ▁comedy , ▁A ▁True ▁W id ow ▁( 1 6 7 8 ), ▁mentions ▁in ▁Act ▁Four : ▁Stan more ▁: ▁" No ▁mad am : ▁Self ish , ▁this ▁Even ing , ▁in ▁a ▁green ▁Room , ▁behind ▁the ▁Sc enes , ▁was ▁before - hand ▁with ▁me ..." ▁ ▁The ▁term ▁" green ▁room " ▁is ▁mentioned ▁in ▁Col ley ▁C ib ber ' s ▁Love ▁M akes ▁a ▁Man ▁( 1 7 0 1 ). ▁" I ▁do ▁know ▁London ▁pretty ▁well , ▁and ▁the ▁Side - box , ▁Sir , ▁and ▁behind ▁the ▁Sc enes