chew up the scenery

chew up 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 up the scenery so much that he was the only one the audience noticed! I love watching hammy actors chew up the scenery in bad movies.
See also: chew, scenery, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
See also:
  • chew on the scenery
  • chew the scenery
  • east
  • (some score) from the East German judge
  • german
  • beefed out
  • give (someone) a big head
  • shoot a line
  • get a big head
  • false pride