When a critic sets himself up as an arbiter of morality, a judge of the matter and not the manner of a work, he is no longer a critic; he is a censor.
Edward AlbeeRead
Do you know what a playwright is? A playwright is someone who lets his guts hang out on the stage.
Interpretation
What this quote means
A playwright exposes their deepest feelings and truths through their work.
Edward Albee's quote explains that a playwright is not merely a creator of stories; rather, they are individuals who bravely share their innermost emotions and experiences with the audience. This vulnerability allows for a profound connection with viewers, as the playwright puts their heart and soul on display in the theater, inviting the audience to reflect on their own lives through the lens of the art being presented.
Themes
PlaywrightArtTheaterVulnerabilityEmotion
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech at a playwrights' workshop discussing the importance of authenticity in writing.
More from Edward Albee
All quotes →I am convinced that no one is fully educated without a full grounding in the arts.
Edward AlbeeRead
Good writers define reality; bad ones merely restate it.
Edward AlbeeRead
Remember one thing about democracy. We can have anything we want and at the same time, we always end up with exactly what we deserve.
Edward AlbeeRead
Your source material is the people you know, not those you don't know, but every character is an extension of the author's own personality.
Edward AlbeeRead
I think we should all live on the precipe of life, as fully and as dangerously as possible. Everyone should make the assumption that they're going through life only once. Tomorrow we die. Why not take chances, extend yourself? How awful it is when a person comes to the end of life full of regret.
Edward AlbeeRead
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