Stress less, taking drink before performance (8)
I believe the answer is:
downplay
'stress less' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'taking drink before performance' is the wordplay.
'taking drink' becomes 'down' (to down something can mean to drink it quickly. I am not sure about the 'taking' bit.).
'before' says to put letters next to each other.
'performance' becomes 'play' (I have seen 'Theatrical performance ' mean 'play' so perhaps 'performance' could also mean 'play').
'down'+'play'='DOWNPLAY'
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for downplay that I've seen before include "stress less" , "Not make a lot of" , "Treat as unimportant" , "Make light of" , "moderate" .)