--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Acting is all about relating to the…" description: "\"Acting is all about relating to the people on stage with you, even in plays that break the fourth wall. Clowning, for the most part, is the opposite. I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/bill-irwin-24814_acting_acting-is-all-about-relating-to-the-peop_1527680.png" --- # Acting is all about relating to the people on stage with… ![“Acting is all about relating to the people on stage with you, even in plays that break the fourth wall. Clowning, for the most part, is the opposite. If somebody in the audience sneezes, I can count on it: I don't even have to look at Shiner; he'll have his handkerchief out. It's all about all of…” quote by Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/bill-irwin-24814_acting_acting-is-all-about-relating-to-the-peop_1527680.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/bill-irwin-24814_acting_acting-is-all-about-relating-to-the-peop_1527680.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e76/bill-irwin-24814_acting_acting-is-all-about-relating-to-the-peop_1527680.png) > “Acting is all about relating to the people on stage with you, even in plays that break the fourth wall. Clowning, for the most part, is the opposite. If somebody in the audience sneezes, I can count on it: I don't even have to look at Shiner; he'll have his handkerchief out. It's all about all of us in the room together.” [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Acting connects performer and audience, while clowning thrives on spontaneous, shared moments. **In simple terms:** Acting connects, clowning thrives on spontaneity. Key Takeaway Value audience interaction. Themes theatre performance audience spontaneity clowning Mood playful engaging Type theatrical educational When to use this quote - stage shows - improv comedy - interactive theater Key Concepts Presence shared experience Questions to Reflect On - How does spontaneity affect audience engagement? - When is improvisation most effective? A Different Perspective Clowning can be misunderstood as less serious. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Clowning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clowning/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [If the guy in the Hanes commercial was clowning my 'bacon neck' to Michael Jordan right in front of me, we'd have problems.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-griffin/if-the-guy-in-the-hanes-commercial-was-clowning-my-bacon-neck-to/) [Blake Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-griffin/) > [“Of course, they're not clowning around trying to make me laugh. They're doing their best to live very serious lives, and they just happen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/of-course-they-re-not-clowning-around-trying-to-make-me-laugh-they-re/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [There's an element of clowning and entertainment to Trump, that makes it surreal and hard to understand to what extent he is pretending to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/there-s-an-element-of-clowning-and-entertainment-to-trump-that-makes/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) > [“Because it is illegal to talk to a stranger on a train, it can sometimes be confusing when someone stands on your foot or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-wallace/because-it-is-illegal-to-talk-to-a-stranger-on-a-train-it-can/) [Danny Wallace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-wallace/) > [Casey wanted us to stay loose. That didn't mean clowning around. He just meant we should be confident and relaxed. We shouldn't feel that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mickey-mantle/casey-wanted-us-to-stay-loose-that-didn-t-mean-clowning-around-he/) [Mickey Mantle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mickey-mantle/) > [I am always joking and always clowning, giving and helping.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-buttons/i-am-always-joking-and-always-clowning-giving-and-helping/) [Red Buttons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-buttons/) > [In all honesty, I never actually did anything wrong (in my eyes, at least) at school or misbehaved in any big way. If it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rory-mcilroy/in-all-honesty-i-never-actually-did-anything-wrong-in-my-eyes-at/) [Rory McIlroy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rory-mcilroy/) > [I went to Paris for a year in 1986 to study theatre; there was a lot of clowning around, buffoonery and fencing. It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orla-brady/i-went-to-paris-for-a-year-in-1986-to-study-theatre-there-was-a-lot/) [Orla Brady](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orla-brady/) > [I started getting on my feet and clowning around, and they ended up putting me in a play when I was 12. And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-robbins/i-started-getting-on-my-feet-and-clowning-around-and-they-ended-up/) [Tim Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-robbins/) > [A clown is like aspirin, only he works twice as fast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/a-clown-is-like-aspirin-only-he-works-twice-as-fast/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [I do love situational comedy, clowning, and slapstick; I approach that with a lot of respect. The goofier you are, it doesn't mean you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-camil/i-do-love-situational-comedy-clowning-and-slapstick-i-approach-that/) [Jaime Camil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-camil/) > [I was always one who was clowning around in school and getting in trouble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-boreanaz/i-was-always-one-who-was-clowning-around-in-school-and-getting-in/) [David Boreanaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-boreanaz/) > [It's possible that the clowning and the buffoonery and the entertainment are a bigger part of what's happening than we've allowed. And that Trump…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-chait/it-s-possible-that-the-clowning-and-the-buffoonery-and-the/) [Jonathan Chait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-chait/) > [I've taken clowns into the war in Bosnia, the refugee camps of Kosovo, and none of those are any more important than clowning in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patch-adams/i-ve-taken-clowns-into-the-war-in-bosnia-the-refugee-camps-of-kosovo/) [Patch Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patch-adams/) > [I had such a broad array of classes, in improvising, in clowning, in Shakespeare. It was so great to just be inundated with all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-wolk/i-had-such-a-broad-array-of-classes-in-improvising-in-clowning-in/) [James Wolk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-wolk/) ## More by Bill Irwin > [Competition between men is a fuel that's useful to us. We have to be careful that it doesn't tell the same story over too…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/competition-between-men-is-a-fuel-that-s-useful-to-us-we-have-to-be/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [What I love is the comedy of the body. It's a little highfalutin', but you can even say pre-verbal comedy. People laugh differently at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/what-i-love-is-the-comedy-of-the-body-it-s-a-little-highfalutin-but/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [It's shocking to think of the universe now without Robin Williams' energy, even muted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/it-s-shocking-to-think-of-the-universe-now-without-robin-williams/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [We constantly run lines together before every show too, and then there's a long, traditionally long, story to tell the audience every show. Today,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/we-constantly-run-lines-together-before-every-show-too-and-then-there/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [The fact is that we like each other very much, and we of course see each other on stage all the time, but this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/the-fact-is-that-we-like-each-other-very-much-and-we-of-course-see/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [I used to be called a post-modern clown. But now, post-modernism is a quaint notion, too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/i-used-to-be-called-a-post-modern-clown-but-now-post-modernism-is-a/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [We want to be able to fly. We want to be able to sear somebody with lightning from across the room. Those are primal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/we-want-to-be-able-to-fly-we-want-to-be-able-to-sear-somebody-with/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [I am the oldest of three. I was in charge of making sure my brother and sister were OK and also entertained so they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/i-am-the-oldest-of-three-i-was-in-charge-of-making-sure-my-brother/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [We used to have a photo of me in full clown makeup taken when my son was 5. And when he was 17 or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/we-used-to-have-a-photo-of-me-in-full-clown-makeup-taken-when-my-son/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [You may work under incredible pressure over two hours in a day, but you're often around that studio 14 to 16 hours of that day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/you-may-work-under-incredible-pressure-over-two-hours-in-a-day-but/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [People keep telling us, that they didn't know when they were booking tickets for it, but afterwards they say that they've had no sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/people-keep-telling-us-that-they-didn-t-know-when-they-were-booking/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [Edward Albee, the premier dark playwright of the American theater, would show up at rehearsal and quote his favorite lines from 'Auntie Mame'. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/edward-albee-the-premier-dark-playwright-of-the-american-theater/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [It's an exhilarating play, and you come off tired, but thrilled.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/it-s-an-exhilarating-play-and-you-come-off-tired-but-thrilled/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [Being nominated is a great thrill, and we like to say that all four of us were nominated, which means that our director, Anthony…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/being-nominated-is-a-great-thrill-and-we-like-to-say-that-all-four-of/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) > [This play is truly a great invention, and we're having a great time doing it eight times a week.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-irwin/this-play-is-truly-a-great-invention-and-we-re-having-a-great-time/) [Bill Irwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) [Explore all 24 Bill Irwin quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-irwin/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Acting is all about relating to the people on stage with you, even in plays that break the fourth wall. Clowning, for the most part, is the opposite. If somebody in the audience sneezes, I can count on it: I don't even have to look at Shiner; he'll have his handkerchief out. 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