Theatrical Legacy Quotes

William Congreve is the only sophisticated playwright England has produced; and like Shaw, Sheridan, and Wilde, his nearest rivals, he was brought up in Ireland.

Throughout my career, even as a very young actor, people have always said to me that they would like to see my Othello. They could see something of him in me, I suppose.

Shakespeare is universal.

I'm the end of the line; absurd and appalling as it may seem, serious New York theater has died in my lifetime.

Im in a very enviable position, being able to work like this 45 years later. Its always beginning! I never have a sense of finishing up, just new things beginning. When I die, theyre going to carry me off a stage.

Englishmen have always loved Moliere.

I gave my life to the Group Theatre, because in it I'm building something for myself. What I build, I am.

If you play a part that's been done before, on stage for instance, you feel like you're carrying a torch and staggering under the weight of it for a bit and then passing it on to somebody else.

The final evaluation of a play has nothing to do with immediate audience or critical response.

I'm an American playwright. Tennessee Williams got in all our DNA.

Shakespeare is as naturally a part of American culture as it is the British culture; the Americans have a natural interest in their heritage.

Marlon Brando. The finest actor who ever lived. He was my idol when I was 13. He's done enough work to last two lifetimes. Everything I do, I think: Can Brando play this with me?

We had our British background of traditional theatre behind us.

Here lies David Garrick, describe me who can, An abridgment of all that was pleasant in man.

Our contention has always been that Shakespeare is our greatest living author. If he can survive a season on Broadway, he must be.

Yul Brynner's performance in "The King and I," . . . can no longer be regarded as a feat of acting or even endurance. After 30-odd . . . Mr Brynner is, quite simply, The King.

I want to keel over on stage playing King Lear at age 99 or something like that.

I will never forget the pleasure and instruction I derived from working with a true master of his art, such as Edward G. Robinson was - and is. Surely his record for versatility, studied characterization - ranging from modern colloquial to the classics - and artistic integrity is unsurpassed.

The 'Daughter of the Regiment' that I did in Boston was vintage Sarah Caldwell, which is to say it was brilliant. Before my career was over, I'm sure I sang the role of Marie at least a hundred times, often in productions that cost a fortune, but none touched hers.