chew on the scenery

To be exaggeratedly or flamboyantly melodramatic or overly emotional while acting a role, as for television, theater, or film. I hated working with him on that play—every night he'd go out and chew on the scenery so much that he was the only one the audience noticed! I love watching hammy actors chew on the scenery in bad movies.

Common Names:

Name	Pronounced	Usage
Imelda	ee-MEL-dah	Italian, Spanish
Zebedaios	-	Biblical Greek
Karrie	KER-ee, KAR-ee	English
Randy	RAN-dee	English
Rodolfo	-	Italian, Spanish, Portuguese
Sheehan	['ʃi:ən]