--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The first four years, I worked…" description: "\"The first four years, I worked exclusively in the theater. I did a great deal of different types of acting - avant garde and classical work. So, it was..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/denis-lawson-11527_acting_the-first-four-years-i-worked-exclusivel_202862.jpg" --- # The first four years, I worked exclusively in the theater… ![“The first four years, I worked exclusively in the theater. I did a great deal of different types of acting - avant garde and classical work. So, it was a very broad spectrum.” quote by Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/denis-lawson-11527_acting_the-first-four-years-i-worked-exclusivel_202862.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/denis-lawson-11527_acting_the-first-four-years-i-worked-exclusivel_202862.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/denis-lawson-11527_acting_the-first-four-years-i-worked-exclusivel_202862.jpg) > “The first four years, I worked exclusively in the theater. I did a great deal of different types of acting - avant garde and classical work. So, it was a very broad spectrum.” [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The actor reflects on his early diverse theater work, spanning avant‑garde to classical, emphasizing breadth of experience. **In simple terms:** He worked in many theater styles early on. Key Takeaway Value varied artistic experiences. Themes career theatre artistic development diversity Mood reflective inspirational practical Type career advice educational When to use this quote - career planning - art education - creative workshops Key Concepts acting techniques genre exploration professional growth Questions to Reflect On - What benefits arise from diverse artistic training? - How does genre variety shape an actor’s skill set? A Different Perspective Focusing only on one style may limit growth. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Avant garde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/avant-garde/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [I started off in theater; I did exclusively theater for four or five years. In the last few years, television has come along but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cillian-murphy/i-started-off-in-theater-i-did-exclusively-theater-for-four-or-five/) [Cillian Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cillian-murphy/) > [As much as like my first love and first entry point into this business is through the theater, it's hard to make a living…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morgan-spector/as-much-as-like-my-first-love-and-first-entry-point-into-this/) [Morgan Spector](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morgan-spector/) > [I started in theater; I did theater in New York for 14 years before I even thought about doing movies - I never thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lin-shaye/i-started-in-theater-i-did-theater-in-new-york-for-14-years-before-i/) [Lin Shaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lin-shaye/) > [...I have never known a movement in the theater that did not work direct and serious harm. Indeed, I have sometimes felt that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minnie-maddern-fiske/i-have-never-known-a-movement-in-the-theater-that-did-not-work-direct/) [Minnie Maddern Fiske](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minnie-maddern-fiske/) > [I love the theater, and I did tons of theater before I ever did anything in front of the camera, but I haven't done…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-smart/i-love-the-theater-and-i-did-tons-of-theater-before-i-ever-did/) [Jean Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-smart/) > [ I met a bunch of people and they said, "We're gonna do a show \[Second City\]." So we would buy the theater out and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-helberg/i-met-a-bunch-of-people-and-they-said-we-re-gonna-do-a-show-second/) [Simon Helberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-helberg/) > [I majored in theater. I did plays. But musicals were not my thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daveed-diggs/i-majored-in-theater-i-did-plays-but-musicals-were-not-my-thing/) [Daveed Diggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daveed-diggs/) > [I went to Northwestern in Chicago, in Evanston, and then I ended up trickling down in Chicago theater. I did a bunch of plays,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-o-hare/i-went-to-northwestern-in-chicago-in-evanston-and-then-i-ended-up/) [Denis O'Hare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-o-hare/) > [I did great things in the theater. I did some nice roles, 'The Diving Bell and the Butterfly' or 'La Vie en Rose.' And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emmanuelle-seigner/i-did-great-things-in-the-theater-i-did-some-nice-roles-the-diving/) [Emmanuelle Seigner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emmanuelle-seigner/) > [I had no idea I was going to have a career in the theater. I did not plan it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-wilson/i-had-no-idea-i-was-going-to-have-a-career-in-the-theater-i-did-not/) [Robert Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-wilson/) > [I went to Bard College for a year. And then, even though I didn't think I should give my blood to the theater, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-guest/i-went-to-bard-college-for-a-year-and-then-even-though-i-didn-t-think/) [Christopher Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-guest/) > [I adopted two children, then I got eye disease and five rounds of surgery. I went blind in one eye, then the other eye,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-patrick-shanley/i-adopted-two-children-then-i-got-eye-disease-and-five-rounds-of/) [John Patrick Shanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-patrick-shanley/) > [I'm working in theater. I did not grow up loving or even knowing anything about it, except for 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and 'Tommy.' But…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-caffey/i-m-working-in-theater-i-did-not-grow-up-loving-or-even-knowing/) [Charlotte Caffey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-caffey/) > [I was in New York for a little while, doing some really bad theater. I did some great stuff, too, but there were Saturday…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silas-weir-mitchell/i-was-in-new-york-for-a-little-while-doing-some-really-bad-theater-i/) [Silas Weir Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silas-weir-mitchell/) > [Well, all I can say is thank goodness I had 15 years of theater before ever I did film roles. You build technique that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-cooper/well-all-i-can-say-is-thank-goodness-i-had-15-years-of-theater-before/) [Chris Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-cooper/) ## More by Denis Lawson > [My parents came out of Glasgow during the Depression and both - particularly my father - had very tough childhoods. They fought their way…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/my-parents-came-out-of-glasgow-during-the-depression-and-both/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > ['Local Hero' was probably the most enjoyable job I've ever done then or since. It's had a very long shelf life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/local-hero-was-probably-the-most-enjoyable-job-i-ve-ever-done-then-or/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [I don't really have a problem at all with doing a show that a lot of people watch.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/i-don-t-really-have-a-problem-at-all-with-doing-a-show-that-a-lot-of/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [I do some very high energy comedy, vaudeville, music hall stuff, and people who've seen my work on camera, on TV and movies, would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/i-do-some-very-high-energy-comedy-vaudeville-music-hall-stuff-and/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [I rather like contemporary art.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/i-rather-like-contemporary-art/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [The way the show was conceived originally and developed, has always had good writing at the heart of it, it's very difficult to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/the-way-the-show-was-conceived-originally-and-developed-has-always/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [Way back at the beginning, I went to see George Lucas when he first came to London for 'Star Wars.' I met him months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/way-back-at-the-beginning-i-went-to-see-george-lucas-when-he-first/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [A big moment for me came when 'Singin' in the Rain' came out. It hit me like a sledgehammer - that's what I wanted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/a-big-moment-for-me-came-when-singin-in-the-rain-came-out-it-hit-me/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [I get so bored about that, please don't ask me about 'Star Wars.' It was just so unimportant to me as a job, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/i-get-so-bored-about-that-please-don-t-ask-me-about-star-wars-it-was/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [I got married on a beach in Italy. It was very romantic getting married in Italian. But I've no idea what we agreed to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/i-got-married-on-a-beach-in-italy-it-was-very-romantic-getting/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [In P7, I played Robin in a musical version of 'Robin Hood' and afterwards DO McLean was standing with mum and dad and he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/in-p7-i-played-robin-in-a-musical-version-of-robin-hood-and/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [I had a feeling 'Star Wars' might do well, but I didn't anticipate just how well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/i-had-a-feeling-star-wars-might-do-well-but-i-didn-t-anticipate-just/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [I hadn't read Dickens for a while and doing 'Bleak House' was great.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/i-hadn-t-read-dickens-for-a-while-and-doing-bleak-house-was-great/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [I've always been interested in Jewish culture, but never had a chance to dip into it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/i-ve-always-been-interested-in-jewish-culture-but-never-had-a-chance/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) > [I always enjoy the scenes with Dennis Waterman, particularly when we're playing comedy, we're always finding stuff together and he's very immediate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/i-always-enjoy-the-scenes-with-dennis-waterman-particularly-when-we/) [Denis Lawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) [Explore all 59 Denis Lawson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/) ## 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": "The first four years, I worked exclusively in the theater. I did a great deal of different types of acting - avant garde and classical work. So, it was a very broad spectrum.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Denis Lawson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/the-first-four-years-i-worked-exclusively-in-the-theater-i-did-a/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/the-first-four-years-i-worked-exclusively-in-the-theater-i-did-a/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/denis-lawson-11527_acting_the-first-four-years-i-worked-exclusivel_202862.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/denis-lawson-11527_acting_the-first-four-years-i-worked-exclusivel_202862.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ef1/denis-lawson-11527_acting_the-first-four-years-i-worked-exclusivel_202862.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The first four years, I worked exclusively in the theater. I did a great deal of different types of acting…” — Denis Lawson", "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": "Denis Lawson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-lawson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The first four years, I worked...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/the-first-four-years-i-worked-exclusively-in-the-theater-i-did-a/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-lawson/the-first-four-years-i-worked-exclusively-in-the-theater-i-did-a/#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 } } ] } ```