Prunella Scales Quotes

There are two main jobs in acting - the first one is to be a good actor, and the second one is to convince everyone that you're a good actor.

In theater, the show must go on, so you train yourself to be able to nail it every single time because that's what the audience deserves, and that's the magic of live theater.

I'm a trained actress and I can do it, but I think that you have to prove yourself.

One needs strong performance to put across a point in theatre.

I think that acting involves doing your job so well that you are able to help the viewer identify with the character.

Performing is just standing up there and doing something. Performance takes on an edge to it. It has a more dramatic context.

There are no small parts. Only small actors.

Actors and magicians are both performers, and they represent things that are not necessarily who they are.

It's about what happens on stage, whether we can deliver it in a hungry way that is who we are in our hearts.

I wanted to be a performer, not someone who introduced other performers.

Any of Bette Midler's concerts should be required viewing for every actor/performer. She has the audience in the palm of her hands at all times and can switch emotions on a dime: Great singer, great actress, great comedian - fearless.

The good and wonderful thing about my whole career is that I've always felt that the audience, if I do it well, will track wherever I go, whether it's President or a lawyer or bad guy or good. All I have to do is execute the material enough where they buy into it. I've had the great luxury of the audiences accepting that.

The best thing I ever learned from my dad was he knew he wasn't the best of singers, but he always knew he was a great entertainer, and I always thought that was a good concept to bring along, that ultimately acting is an entertainment art and you have to be aware of the fact that you want people to be excited to be watching you.

I would rather do a play because it's instantaneous. You go on the stage, and you know whether it's happening or not. Somebody asked me 'What is acting?' And I said, 'Acting is listening.' And if you ain't listening, nobody's listening.

You've got to have a sense of different audiences. I'm a kind of performer manque - I come from a long line of failed actors!

Obviously there are times with acting when exactly what is required is just going through the motions, and when doing nothing is the best thing. But at other times, you have to make that leap beyond the immediate environment of people putting up lights on the set.

Whether you're doing Shakespeare or Disney, good work is good work.

If you are playing King Lear you are the centre of attention anyway. You don't need to draw attention to yourself. It's all laid out for you.

The most important thing is to just be good at what you do. You do a good job playing the character, and people will be taken up with your character, not your clothes.

I know I'm not much on face value, but when it comes to stage value, I'll deliver for you.

I used to watch people like Richard Burton and Mel Gibson and think, 'I could never do that.'

I want to be known for my performances and doing my craft well, not for funny stuff I post on Twitter or whatever.

My favorite actor is Sir Ben Kingsley - nobody is as good as him, in my opinion. I think he's so good as an artist.

I think of myself as a journeyman actor. I've got some talent and I work hard, but people like Brando or Pacino - those people are touched by God.

You either entertain an audience or you don't.