1310 quotes by dramatists for you to enjoy

I think that the present is worth attention, one shouldn't sacrifice it to future conceptions of, of this future or that future. Tom Stoppard

Future Worth Sacrifice Think I Think Attention Present

One of the attractions of translating 'Heroes' is that it's not the kind of play that I write. If it had been, I probably wouldn't have wanted to translate it. There are no one-liners. It's much more a truthful comedy than a play of dazzling wit. Tom Stoppard

Comedy Heroes Kind One-Liners I Write More Write Had Wit Dazzling Attractions Been Truthful Than Wanted Translate Translating Much Play

I don't keep a diary and I throw away nearly all the paper I might have kept. I don't keep an archive. There's something worrying about my make-up that I try to leave no trace of myself apart from my plays. Tom Stoppard

Myself Try Worrying Paper About Something Throw Trace Leave Diary Apart Might Keep Away Nearly Kept Plays

That I have the right to express myself freely at all times in all circumstances entails the idea that free speech is a 'basic human right' possessed by each individual, and, as such, trumps the interests of the society or group, including my neighbour. Tom Stoppard

Myself Free Free Speech Group Society Possessed Circumstances Entails Neighbour Individual Idea Freely Times Human Interests Human Right Each Express Including Each Individual Right Basic Speech

My work always tried to unite the true with the beautiful; but when I had to choose one or the other, I usually chose the beautiful. Tom Stoppard

Work Beautiful Other Tried Had True Always Choose Chose Unite

If you let the plot be determined by what you feel is in the character's mind at that point, it may not turn out to be a very good play, but at least it will be a play where people are behaving in a kind of truthful way. Tom Stoppard

Very often in Chekhov, where he exhibits a little bit of human behavior that you recognize as true, you give a little laugh. It's like a reflex. Tom Stoppard

You Behavior Bit Laugh Recognize Give He True Like Chekhov Very Reflex Often Human Human Behavior Where Little Little Bit

I'm good at being funny. Tom Stoppard

Funny Good Being Being Funny

Success is a sort of metaphysical experience. I live exactly as I did before - only on a slightly bigger scale. Naturally, I won't be corrupted. I'll sit there in my Rolls, uncorrupted, and tell my chauffeur, uncorruptedly, where to go. Tom Stoppard

In Chekhov, everything blends into its opposite, just fractionally, and this is sort of unsettling. And that's why you end up 100 years later asking, 'Is that moment tragic or comic?' Tom Stoppard

You Everything Later 100 Years Unsettling Blends Sort Chekhov Comic Opposite Years Tragic End Up Just Asking Moment Why

What Tolstoy is on about is that carnal love is not a good idea. Tom Stoppard

Love Good Love Is Carnal About Idea Tolstoy Good Idea

From principles is derived probability, but truth or certainty is obtained only from facts. Tom Stoppard

Truth Only Facts Obtained Principles Probability Derived Certainty

When Auden said his poetry didn't save one Jew from the gas chamber, he'd said it all. Tom Stoppard

Poetry He Said His Chamber Gas Jew Save

Any revival in which I am involved is liable to change. Tom Stoppard

Change I Am Liable Involved Am Revival Any Which

There are certain sorts of jokes which have only to do with the substitution of the unexpected word in a familiar context. If you translated something into French and then had it translated back into English by somebody who didn't know the original, you'd lose what was funny. Tom Stoppard

Funny You Jokes Word Somebody Lose Back Something Only Had Know French Sort Context Familiar Unexpected Substitution Which Translated Then Certain English Who Original

All of my scripts are based on other people's novels. Generally, I consider myself as one who writes for theatre. I do not see film work as a continuation of writing for theatre. It is more of an interruption of the writing process. Tom Stoppard

I would count myself as a friend of Vaclav Havel. Tom Stoppard

Myself Would Count Friend

One always likes to think that other countries are not like one's own. Tom Stoppard

Own Think Other Other Countries Countries Like Likes Always

I went to an English school and was brought up in English. So I don't feel Czech. Tom Stoppard

School Brought Feel Up English Czech English School

If I hadn't left Czechoslovakia, I would have been dead. Tom Stoppard

Would Dead Been Left Czechoslovakia

The days of the digital watch are numbered. Tom Stoppard

Digital Days Watch Numbered

Quotes by Dramatists