--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Unless we tell stories about ourselves…" description: "\"Unless we tell stories about ourselves, which is all that theater is, we're in deep trouble.\" — Alan Rickman" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/alan-rickman-4156_about_unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-w_229125.jpg" --- # Unless we tell stories about ourselves, which is all that… ![“Unless we tell stories about ourselves, which is all that theater is, we're in deep trouble.” quote by Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/alan-rickman-4156_about_unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-w_229125.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/alan-rickman-4156_about_unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-w_229125.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/alan-rickman-4156_about_unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-w_229125.jpg) > “Unless we tell stories about ourselves, which is all that theater is, we're in deep trouble.” [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote warns that without personal storytelling, theater loses relevance and depth, leading to cultural stagnation. **In simple terms:** Theater needs personal stories or stay meaningful. Key Takeaway Encourage authentic storytelling. Themes theater identity culture Mood reflective concerned Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - playwriting - acting workshops - community theater - personal memoirs Key Concepts narrative self‑expression authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How can theater balance personal and collective stories? - What risks arise when stories are too self‑focused? A Different Perspective May overlook broader societal narratives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Stories](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stories/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [The theater is too deep for me. I prefer bicycling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-gabin/the-theater-is-too-deep-for-me-i-prefer-bicycling/) Jean Gabin > [I love being part of a group who tells stories, whether it be in the theater or in cinema, and I love creating imaginary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-irons/i-love-being-part-of-a-group-who-tells-stories-whether-it-be-in-the/) [Jeremy Irons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-irons/) > [Our struggle was political, ideological and economic, and we felt we couldn't make something of ourselves unless we bettered society. We saw the two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bella-abzug/our-struggle-was-political-ideological-and-economic-and-we-felt-we/) [Bella Abzug](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bella-abzug/) > [We will never accomplish what God wants for our lives unless we stop making excuses for ourselves and pampering our flesh. When we get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-johnson/we-will-never-accomplish-what-god-wants-for-our-lives-unless-we-stop/) [Monica Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-johnson/) > [America's in deep trouble. We don't know what we're doing when it comes to devaluations and all of these countries all over the world,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/america-s-in-deep-trouble-we-don-t-know-what-we-re-doing-when-it/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [Perhaps the relevant truth is that we all find ourselves in temporal currents and that unless you're paying attention you'll discover, often too late,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-o-neill/perhaps-the-relevant-truth-is-that-we-all-find-ourselves-in-temporal/) [Joseph O'Neill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-o-neill/) > [No institution will go through fundamental change unless it believes it is in deep trouble and needs to do something different to survive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gerstner/no-institution-will-go-through-fundamental-change-unless-it-believes/) [Lou Gerstner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gerstner/) > [“When people say you’re charming you’re in deep trouble.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/when-people-say-you-re-charming-you-re-in-deep-trouble/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [Any woman who has a great deal to offer the world is in trouble. And if she's a black woman, seh's in deep trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hazel-scott/any-woman-who-has-a-great-deal-to-offer-the-world-is-in-trouble-and/) [Hazel Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hazel-scott/) > [If the critics were always right we should be in deep trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-morley/if-the-critics-were-always-right-we-should-be-in-deep-trouble/) [Robert Morley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-morley/) > [“Next time when I tell you to do something, you do it. And be careful with your dirty mouth, it can get you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dora-sky/next-time-when-i-tell-you-to-do-something-you-do-it-and-be-careful/) [Dora Sky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dora-sky/) > [If you have the temerity to try to dramatize a theme that involves any particular social controversy currently extant. . . then you're in deep trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rod-serling/if-you-have-the-temerity-to-try-to-dramatize-a-theme-that-involves/) [Rod Serling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rod-serling/) > [Our country is in deep trouble. To talk and re-litigate in 1998, or even what Mitt Romney said or didn't say in 1994 or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-ingraham/our-country-is-in-deep-trouble-to-talk-and-re-litigate-in-1998-or/) [Laura Ingraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-ingraham/) > [If we can't get back to principles and integrity and it's reduced just the interest of calculation and Machiavellian manipulation, we are in deep…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/if-we-can-t-get-back-to-principles-and-integrity-and-it-s-reduced/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [When man decides he can control nature, he's in deep trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-dern/when-man-decides-he-can-control-nature-he-s-in-deep-trouble/) [Laura Dern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-dern/) ## More by Alan Rickman > [Every so often you read a play and a character just speaks to you - almost seems to speak through you, in fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/every-so-often-you-read-a-play-and-a-character-just-speaks-to-you/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [My definition of palatable might be slightly different from yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/my-definition-of-palatable-might-be-slightly-different-from-yours/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [Three children have become adults since a phone call with Jo Rowling, containing one small clue, persuaded me that there was more to Snape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/three-children-have-become-adults-since-a-phone-call-with-jo-rowling/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I do feel more myself in America. I can regress there, and they have roller-coaster parks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-do-feel-more-myself-in-america-i-can-regress-there-and-they-have/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I have a love-hate relationship with white silk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-have-a-love-hate-relationship-with-white-silk/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I was 7, and I remember being given a part in a play and thinking, This is exciting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-was-7-and-i-remember-being-given-a-part-in-a-play-and-thinking-this/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [The difference between being an actor and a director is simple. The director has to hide his panic; the actor doesn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/the-difference-between-being-an-actor-and-a-director-is-simple-the/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [Do you know that moment when you paint a landscape as a child and, when you’re maybe under seven or something, the sky is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/do-you-know-that-moment-when-you-paint-a-landscape-as-a-child-and/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [Who I am gets in the way of people looking innocently at the parts I play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/who-i-am-gets-in-the-way-of-people-looking-innocently-at-the-parts-i/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I don't think it's right that everybody knows everything about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-don-t-think-it-s-right-that-everybody-knows-everything-about-me/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [One thing I will say - my job gets harder and harder. The more you understand about what you are capable of, the less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/one-thing-i-will-say-my-job-gets-harder-and-harder-the-more-you/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [On the screen were some flashback shots of Daniel, Emma and Rupert from ten years ago. They were 12. I have also recently returned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/on-the-screen-were-some-flashback-shots-of-daniel-emma-and-rupert/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I was coming from a very cerebral, dark, difficult, layered play by Christopher Hampton and doing an action movie in Hollywood (Die Hard) with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-was-coming-from-a-very-cerebral-dark-difficult-layered-play-by/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [I don't play villains, I play very interesting people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/i-don-t-play-villains-i-play-very-interesting-people/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) > [Film has to be reflecting the world that we live in, and that's all you want to be a part of. Actors inhabit the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/film-has-to-be-reflecting-the-world-that-we-live-in-and-that-s-all/) [Alan Rickman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) [Explore all 115 Alan Rickman quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/) ## More About quotes > [If you ask an introvert a question, wait until she thinks about it. Introverts think before speaking, not through speaking. If you want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-helgoe/if-you-ask-an-introvert-a-question-wait-until-she-thinks-about-it/) [Laurie Helgoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-helgoe/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I talk to my mates about our kids, being too tired and being worn out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-willoughby/i-talk-to-my-mates-about-our-kids-being-too-tired-and-being-worn-out/) [Holly Willoughby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-willoughby/) > [With 'Pretty Girls,' I saw the opportunity to talk not just about crime but what crime leaves behind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karin-slaughter/with-pretty-girls-i-saw-the-opportunity-to-talk-not-just-about-crime/) [Karin Slaughter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karin-slaughter/) > [I write about presidents. That means I write about guys - so far. I'm interested in the people closest to them, the people they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-write-about-presidents-that-means-i-write-about-guys-so-far-i-m/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I learned a lot about myself at Oakmont.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-lowry/i-learned-a-lot-about-myself-at-oakmont/) [Shane Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-lowry/) > [I don't think about the press or the crowds or the other leaders of the race. The focus is only on myself. As soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/magdalena-neuner/i-don-t-think-about-the-press-or-the-crowds-or-the-other-leaders-of/) [Magdalena Neuner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/magdalena-neuner/) > [Sport is not just about entertainment. It is equally about winning and losing, pooling and galvanising the energy of the youth, upgrading people's physical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nita-ambani/sport-is-not-just-about-entertainment-it-is-equally-about-winning-and/) [Nita Ambani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nita-ambani/) > [One of the ways that I discovered my confidence and my ability to overpower is becoming a mother. Suddenly, my world wasn't about myself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lights/one-of-the-ways-that-i-discovered-my-confidence-and-my-ability-to/) [Lights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lights/) > [I didn't want to do 'Fashion Police' because I thought, 'This is stupid, this is beneath me, who wants to talk about fashion?' It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-rivers/i-didn-t-want-to-do-fashion-police-because-i-thought-this-is-stupid/) [Joan Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-rivers/) > [I just worried about my weight. Worried about my appearance and thought I wan't pretty enough to be a pop star. It was very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judith-durham/i-just-worried-about-my-weight-worried-about-my-appearance-and/) [Judith Durham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judith-durham/) > [I read a couple of books about neuroscience and the relationship between the mind and the body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-kinnaman/i-read-a-couple-of-books-about-neuroscience-and-the-relationship/) [Joel Kinnaman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-kinnaman/) > [There are a lot of kids out there copying and distributing movies - not because they care about seeing the movies or sharing them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-perry-barlow/there-are-a-lot-of-kids-out-there-copying-and-distributing-movies-not/) [John Perry Barlow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-perry-barlow/) > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) Browse all 26,122 About quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Unless we tell stories about ourselves, which is all that theater is, we're in deep trouble.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alan Rickman" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-which-is-all-that-theater-is/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-which-is-all-that-theater-is/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/alan-rickman-4156_about_unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-w_229125.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/alan-rickman-4156_about_unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-w_229125.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b94/alan-rickman-4156_about_unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-w_229125.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Unless we tell stories about ourselves, which is all that theater is, we're in deep trouble.” — Alan Rickman", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alan Rickman", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-rickman/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Unless we tell stories about ourselves,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-which-is-all-that-theater-is/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-rickman/unless-we-tell-stories-about-ourselves-which-is-all-that-theater-is/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```