--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Curiously enough, the only two plays that…" description: "\"Curiously enough, the only two plays that I've done very much revision on were the two adaptations - even though the shape of them was pretty much dete..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/edward-albee-1684_actors_curiously-enough-the-only-two-plays-that_3107215.jpg" --- # Curiously enough, the only two plays that I've done very… ![“Curiously enough, the only two plays that I've done very much revision on were the two adaptations - even though the shape of them was pretty much determined by the original work. With my own plays, the only changes, aside from taking a speech out here, putting one in there (if I thought I dwelled…” quote by Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/edward-albee-1684_actors_curiously-enough-the-only-two-plays-that_3107215.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/edward-albee-1684_actors_curiously-enough-the-only-two-plays-that_3107215.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/edward-albee-1684_actors_curiously-enough-the-only-two-plays-that_3107215.jpg) > “Curiously enough, the only two plays that I've done very much revision on were the two adaptations - even though the shape of them was pretty much determined by the original work. With my own plays, the only changes, aside from taking a speech out here, putting one in there (if I thought I dwelled on a point a little too long or didn't make it explicit enough), are very minor; but even though they're very minor - having to do with the inability of actors or the unwillingness of the director to go along with me - I've always regretted them.” [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Albee reflects that revisions to his own plays are minimal, often constrained by actors or directors, leading to regret over missed opportunities. **In simple terms:** Minor changes hindered by collaborators cause regret. Key Takeaway Seek collaborative alignment early. Themes theatre creative process collaboration Mood frustrated reflective Type advice reflective When to use this quote - playwriting - directing - acting - rehearsal - production planning Key Concepts artistic integrity authorial control Questions to Reflect On - How can playwrights negotiate changes without losing intent? - What strategies improve director-actor alignment? A Different Perspective Compromise may dilute original vision. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Adaptation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptation/) [Adaptations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adaptations/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Determined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/determined/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enough/) [Explicit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/explicit/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Inability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inability/) [Littles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/littles/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Minors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/minors/) [My own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/my-own/) [Originals](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/originals/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays/) [Plays Changes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays-changes-4069439/) [Revision](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revision/) [Revision Adaptations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revision-adaptations-5411209/) [Shapes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shapes/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Too long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-long/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [I've redone plays of mine and made changes. A play is a living thing, and I'd never say I wouldn't rewrite years later. Tennessee…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horton-foote/i-ve-redone-plays-of-mine-and-made-changes-a-play-is-a-living-thing/) [Horton Foote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horton-foote/) > [What we think about certain characters and plays changes depending on our current awareness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-lester/what-we-think-about-certain-characters-and-plays-changes-depending-on/) [Adrian Lester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-lester/) > [Once we start seeing video games that have more memorable characters, you'll see better movie adaptations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/once-we-start-seeing-video-games-that-have-more-memorable-characters/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [The human brain is generally regarded as a complex web of adaptations built into the nervous system, even though no one knows how.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-gazzaniga/the-human-brain-is-generally-regarded-as-a-complex-web-of-adaptations/) [Michael Gazzaniga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-gazzaniga/) > [The more I study nature, the more I become impressed with ever-increasing force with the conclusion, that the contrivances and beautiful adaptations slowly acquired…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-more-i-study-nature-the-more-i-become-impressed-with-ever/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [I'm very pessimistic about adaptations from one medium to another. I've got a very kind of primitive, Puritan view of it. I tend to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/i-m-very-pessimistic-about-adaptations-from-one-medium-to-another-i/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [The proof of evolution lies in those adaptations that arise from improbable foundations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/the-proof-of-evolution-lies-in-those-adaptations-that-arise-from/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Everybody says video-game adaptations are all the same, but I disagree. Normally, video-game adaptations are like Alone In The Dark, Resident Evil, Alien Vs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uwe-boll/everybody-says-video-game-adaptations-are-all-the-same-but-i-disagree/) [Uwe Boll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/uwe-boll/) > [The films that I've done before were original stories most of the time, I did two adaptations before this, but they were mostly original…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-salles/the-films-that-i-ve-done-before-were-original-stories-most-of-the/) [Walter Salles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-salles/) > [It's not so much that I enjoy screenwriting, though mostly I do, but the difference is, with adaptations, somebody else has done the hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/it-s-not-so-much-that-i-enjoy-screenwriting-though-mostly-i-do-but/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Most adaptations of plays I hate, because they don't envision something as cinema at all, you know?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-waters/most-adaptations-of-plays-i-hate-because-they-don-t-envision/) [Mark Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-waters/) > [I've never watched any of the adaptations of my books. I've never wanted to, and there's absolutely no chance of me doing so in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-moore/i-ve-never-watched-any-of-the-adaptations-of-my-books-i-ve-never/) [Alan Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-moore/) > [Most films are rooted in a book or a comic strip, but I don't go out there saying I want to do adaptations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-fiennes/most-films-are-rooted-in-a-book-or-a-comic-strip-but-i-don-t-go-out/) [Ralph Fiennes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-fiennes/) > [I've made movies that were adaptations and I've been kind of frustrated by the process because, you know that old axiom, 'It's never as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amber-heard/i-ve-made-movies-that-were-adaptations-and-i-ve-been-kind-of/) [Amber Heard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amber-heard/) > [“The unglamorous truth is that there are but a handful of uniquely human traits that we have clearly demonstrated are adaptations evolved to thrive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rutherford/the-unglamorous-truth-is-that-there-are-but-a-handful-of-uniquely/) [Adam Rutherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rutherford/) ## More by Edward Albee > [School curricula that ignore the arts produce highly educated Barbarians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/school-curricula-that-ignore-the-arts-produce-highly-educated/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [When a critic sets himself up as an arbiter of morality, a judge of the matter and not the manner of a work, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-a-critic-sets-himself-up-as-an-arbiter-of-morality-a-judge-of/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [When people don't like the way a play ends, they're likely to blame the play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-people-don-t-like-the-way-a-play-ends-they-re-likely-to-blame/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [In a democracy you cannot stop public access to that art that will most misinform the people. You cannot stop people from being misinformed.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/in-a-democracy-you-cannot-stop-public-access-to-that-art-that-will/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Creativity is magic. Don't examine it too closely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/creativity-is-magic-don-t-examine-it-too-closely/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [When people can't abide things as they are, when they can't abide the present, they do one of two things ... either they ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/when-people-can-t-abide-things-as-they-are-when-they-can-t-abide-the/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [“Lady, you can’t fuck a metaphor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/lady-you-can-t-fuck-a-metaphor/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I write to find out what I'm talking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-write-to-find-out-what-i-m-talking-about/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I know playwrights who like to kid themselves into saying that their characters are so well formed that they just take over. They determine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-know-playwrights-who-like-to-kid-themselves-into-saying-that-their/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [The greatest problem with Irish Wolfhounds, though, is that they don't live very long: their great hearts give out. A good deal of this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/the-greatest-problem-with-irish-wolfhounds-though-is-that-they-don-t/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Dashed hopes and good intentions. Good, better, best, bested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/dashed-hopes-and-good-intentions-good-better-best-bested/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Writing has got to be an act of discovery…I write to find out what I'm thinking about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/writing-has-got-to-be-an-act-of-discovery-i-write-to-find-out-what-i/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I'm back in fashion again for a while now. But I imagine that three or four years from now I'll be out again. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-m-back-in-fashion-again-for-a-while-now-but-i-imagine-that-three-or/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [What people really want in the theater is fantasy involvement and not reality involvement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/what-people-really-want-in-the-theater-is-fantasy-involvement-and-not/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [Art should never try to be popular.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/art-should-never-try-to-be-popular/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) [Explore all 216 Edward Albee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) ## More Actors quotes > [Women still, when they have breast cancer, go to work; they still lead their lives. They have to. I just did what I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/monica-potter/women-still-when-they-have-breast-cancer-go-to-work-they-still-lead/) [Monica Potter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/monica-potter/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [A lesser complaint: hair extensions. There are moments on 'All My Children' when half the women actors, young and old, seem to be afflicted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/a-lesser-complaint-hair-extensions-there-are-moments-on-all-my/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [I'm very used to working with first time actors - you can just look back at 'E.T.' with Drew Barrymore, and Christian Bale from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-spielberg/i-m-very-used-to-working-with-first-time-actors-you-can-just-look/) [Steven Spielberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-spielberg/) > [Forget the credit, they (male actors) take all the money as well. We don't get paid even one-third of what male actors get. It's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kangana-ranaut/forget-the-credit-they-male-actors-take-all-the-money-as-well-we-don/) [Kangana Ranaut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kangana-ranaut/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [What we're supposed to do as actors is be able to portray real human beings and emotions. And if you grow up in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-browning/what-we-re-supposed-to-do-as-actors-is-be-able-to-portray-real-human/) [Emily Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-browning/) > [When we watch a film as actors, you have to understand that we always see much more than what's on screen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kunal-khemu/when-we-watch-a-film-as-actors-you-have-to-understand-that-we-always/) [Kunal Khemu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kunal-khemu/) > [As actors, you become an expert at starting over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupita-nyong-o/as-actors-you-become-an-expert-at-starting-over/) [Lupita Nyong'o](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupita-nyong-o/) > [The whole concept of stage fright is fascinating. Actors get stage fright, but they wouldn't be on the stage in the first place if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-greene/the-whole-concept-of-stage-fright-is-fascinating-actors-get-stage/) [Robert Greene](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-greene/) > [No actor wants to choose - they just want all of the options available to them all the time; we tend to be pretty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-jacobs/no-actor-wants-to-choose-they-just-want-all-of-the-options-available/) [Gillian Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-jacobs/) > [A rapper is about being completely true to yourself. Being an actor is about changing who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-smith/a-rapper-is-about-being-completely-true-to-yourself-being-an-actor-is/) [Will Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-smith/) > [I've been a professional actor for almost 40 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-perlman/i-ve-been-a-professional-actor-for-almost-40-years/) [Ron Perlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-perlman/) > [American actors are coy. We all have pricks and cunts, or are you different from the rest of us?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-greenaway/american-actors-are-coy-we-all-have-pricks-and-cunts-or-are-you/) [Peter Greenaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-greenaway/) [Browse all 11,394 Actors quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Curiously enough, the only two plays that I've done very much revision on were the two adaptations - even though the shape of them was pretty much determined by the original work. With my own plays, the only changes, aside from taking a speech out here, putting one in there (if I thought I dwelled on a point a little too long or didn't make it explicit enough), are very minor; but even though they're very minor - having to do with the inability of actors or the unwillingness of the director to go along with me - I've always regretted them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Edward Albee" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/curiously-enough-the-only-two-plays-that-i-ve-done-very-much-revision/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Actors" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/curiously-enough-the-only-two-plays-that-i-ve-done-very-much-revision/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/edward-albee-1684_actors_curiously-enough-the-only-two-plays-that_3107215.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/edward-albee-1684_actors_curiously-enough-the-only-two-plays-that_3107215.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fe/edward-albee-1684_actors_curiously-enough-the-only-two-plays-that_3107215.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Curiously enough, the only two plays that I've done very much revision on were the two adaptations - even…” — Edward Albee", "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": "Edward Albee", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Curiously enough, the only two plays...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/curiously-enough-the-only-two-plays-that-i-ve-done-very-much-revision/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/curiously-enough-the-only-two-plays-that-i-ve-done-very-much-revision/#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 } } ] } ```