“The thing that is always so surprising about plays written in another century is how remarkably elastic they are. When you listen to the way in which Shakespeare attacks relationships, for example, even though the words may start off sounding foreign, in actuality they are so accessible, the motivations so clear, the resonances so contemporary. When you put it in a modern context - we could well be in a place with someone like Gaddafi or Mubarak - it becomes apparent how Richard III resonates with that type of personality, with media and manipulation, alliances and petty jealousies.” WayWellsMayPlayMotivationClearWrittenModernCenturyMediaExampleTypePersonalityContemporaryManipulationSurprisingPettyAlliancesResonanceActualityGaddafiMubarak Author:Kevin Spacey
“I dont categorize characters into one syllable. These are fully-rounded characters that I dont judge; I just play them.” PlayCharacterJudgingSyllables Author:Kevin Spacey
“I dont play villainy. I wouldnt even know how to play it.” KnowsPlayKnow HowVillainy Author:Kevin Spacey
“Its interesting to play a politician who gets stuff done.” DonePlayStuffInterestingPolitician Author:Kevin Spacey
“A couple of clues came my way of what I might be getting myself into when I sat down with a number of actors who had played Richard III in the past. And I was hoping of course, that one of them or all of them were gonna give me the magic key, the secret way in to play Richard III but none of them did that.But every one of them did say the following, "Be careful."” WayGivingPlayMightPastCoursesActorsNumbersSecretMagicKeysCoupleGive MeCarefulFollowingMy WaySatBe CarefulClue Author:Kevin Spacey
“People sometimes say, "Isn't it boring, isn't it always the same? It's the same lines." I go, "Well, do you play tennis? Because that's the best analogy I can give." If you go out eight times and play tennis eight times this week, yeah it's the same rules but it's a different game every time you're out on that court.And that's the best analogy I can come up with the theater.” PeopleIfsGivingWellsI CanDifferentSometimesPlayGamesLinesWeekTheaterYeahCourtCome UpBoringEightTennisAnalogies Author:Kevin Spacey
“You are not just, "This is the way I play it every night." You are constantly finding new ways in, new attacks, "I want to try it this way. Maybe this scene is affecting that scene. I want to attack this scene differently."” WayWantTryingPlayNightSceneFindingsEvery NightNew Ways Author:Kevin Spacey
“The 24 Hour Plays is a quite brilliant, exhilarating event for everyone concerned.” PlayHoursEventsConcernedBrilliantExhilarating Author:Kevin Spacey
“The process of doing a play is an organic one and the process of doing a film is totally un-organic.” PlayFilmProcess Author:Kevin Spacey
“I was terrible in my first play. After that experience, I had to face that I wasnt good enough to play with the big boys. I had to go away and learn, so I worked in regional theater for three years. I even understudied at the Kennedy Center.” YearsFirstsEnoughPlayBigsFacesThreeBoysTerribleTheaterGoing AwayGood EnoughThree Years Author:Kevin Spacey
“Its the details and the human element that makes Recount entertaining. Even though we know how the election ends, it plays like a thriller. Its also funny.” KnowsHumansEndsPlayKnow HowElementsElectionDetailsEntertainingThrillers Author:Kevin Spacey
“There are ways in which you can make sure that even if people come to the theatre because they know an actor or actress, by the end, theyve forgotten that, and they leave going, Wow - what an amazing play.” PeopleIfsKnowsWayEndsPlayActorsForgottenActressesTheatreWow Author:Kevin Spacey
“There are times when you do a play when you are living in the character over a two-and-a-half-hour period or longer, and you come to the end of the night, and you can feel like you were hit by a truck.” FeelsTwoEndsPlayCharacterNightHoursHalfLike YouPeriodsTruckHalf Hours Author:Kevin Spacey
“I can't judge the characters I play, because it's for the audience to do. What I can try to do is to understand and embody what were they going through? How did they make the decisions they made? That to me is a more interesting way to approach something, rather than saying this person is a villain and that person is this and - because it's not very interesting to play that anyway.” WayTryingPersonsMadeI CanPlayCharacterDecisionInterestingAudienceJudgingApproachVillainVery InterestingInteresting Ways Author:Kevin Spacey
“I mean we all played as kids. You play games, you take on different characters, you imitate; the fun and the love of play has never left me.” MeanDifferentPlayCharacterKidsGamesLeftFunPlaying GamesDifferent Characters Author:Kevin Spacey
“To me, getting up every single night and trying to reach out to an audience, and trying to dig deeper and further in the play to serve the writer and to understand yourself in that context is how you continue to grow and learn.” TryingPlayNightGrowsAudienceDeeperPerformingReach OutDig Deep Author:Kevin Spacey
