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Acting is not a state of being ... but a state of appearing to be. You can't be eight times a week without going stark staring mad. You've got to be in control.
Noel Coward
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Acting is about creating an illusion rather than embodying a character, and it requires control to maintain that illusion.

Noel Coward emphasizes that acting is fundamentally about the appearance of being someone else rather than actually becoming that character in a literal sense. This underscores the importance of maintaining control over oneself while performing, as becoming too engrossed in the role can lead to confusion and madness, especially for someone who plays multiple roles frequently.

Themes

ActingIllusionControlPerformanceRoles

In practice

Example use cases

This quote could be shared during a theater workshop to inspire actors to maintain their focus.

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