--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I love stage work. The thing about plays…" description: "\"I love stage work. The thing about plays is that they're perfectible. With film, you shoot that take and maybe another. During 'Spamalot,' I rewrote Ac..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/eric-idle-3734_about_i-love-stage-work-the-thing-about-plays_707794.jpg" --- # I love stage work. The thing about plays is that they're… ![“I love stage work. The thing about plays is that they're perfectible. With film, you shoot that take and maybe another. During 'Spamalot,' I rewrote Act II three times.” quote by Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/eric-idle-3734_about_i-love-stage-work-the-thing-about-plays_707794.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/eric-idle-3734_about_i-love-stage-work-the-thing-about-plays_707794.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/eric-idle-3734_about_i-love-stage-work-the-thing-about-plays_707794.jpg) > “I love stage work. The thing about plays is that they're perfectible. With film, you shoot that take and maybe another. During 'Spamalot,' I rewrote Act II three times.” [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Stage work allows continuous refinement, unlike film which captures a single take; the iterative process fuels improvement. **In simple terms:** Plays can be revised repeatedly; movies are fixed after filming. Key Takeaway Use the flexibility of live performance to hone your craft. Themes theatre iteration craftsmanship Mood enthusiastic analytical Type motivational reflective When to use this quote - playwriting - directing - rehearsals - film production Key Concepts continuous improvement collaborative creation Questions to Reflect On - How does iteration shape your artistic growth? - When is it better to accept a final version? A Different Perspective Film’s finality limits chances for later changes. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [About](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) [Act](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/act/) [Another](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/another/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [I love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-love/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-stage/) [Maybe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe/) [Maybe Spamalot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/maybe-spamalot-5589616/) [Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays/) [Shoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shoot/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Stage Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage-work-504752/) [Take](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/take/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thing/) [Three](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three/) [Three times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-times/) [Times](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/times/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [I love doing the radio plays, creating a whole world with just the voice, and I'd love to be back on stage, too, at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-winkleman/i-love-doing-the-radio-plays-creating-a-whole-world-with-just-the/) [Sophie Winkleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-winkleman/) > [Broadway producers are happy to have a big Hollywood name they can post on the marquee, but most of them assume that television and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rue-mcclanahan/broadway-producers-are-happy-to-have-a-big-hollywood-name-they-can/) [Rue McClanahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rue-mcclanahan/) > [From my point of view, there is a lot of joy in stage work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-peppard/from-my-point-of-view-there-is-a-lot-of-joy-in-stage-work/) [George Peppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-peppard/) > [A sitcom is the closest thing for me to doing stage because you work in front of an audience, and if it's well written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-lane/a-sitcom-is-the-closest-thing-for-me-to-doing-stage-because-you-work/) [Nathan Lane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-lane/) > [There's something about the energy and the expectations that an audience projects at you. I get up on stage and work and work, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-barnes/there-s-something-about-the-energy-and-the-expectations-that-an/) [Jimmy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-barnes/) > [I enjoy theater just for the sheer excitement of it and the immediate response that you get, and how every night the audience is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorian-missick/i-enjoy-theater-just-for-the-sheer-excitement-of-it-and-the-immediate/) [Dorian Missick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorian-missick/) > [I prefer stage work, as an actor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sean-leonard/i-prefer-stage-work-as-an-actor/) [Robert Sean Leonard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sean-leonard/) > [There is an endless range of parts I have not played. I would love to do a whole slew of period pieces. I also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-margolis/there-is-an-endless-range-of-parts-i-have-not-played-i-would-love-to/) [Mark Margolis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-margolis/) > [I think it's very valuable as an actor to throw yourself back into having that direct connection with an audience on-stage and work that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thekla-reuten/i-think-it-s-very-valuable-as-an-actor-to-throw-yourself-back-into/) [Thekla Reuten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thekla-reuten/) > [At each stage of work the horse must be taken to his limit, but never over.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-zettl/at-each-stage-of-work-the-horse-must-be-taken-to-his-limit-but-never/) [Walter Zettl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-zettl/) > [Although I do stand-up - doing actual stage work is terrifying for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-slate/although-i-do-stand-up-doing-actual-stage-work-is-terrifying-for-me/) [Jenny Slate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-slate/) > [People who have never done theatre before, and have only worked in front of a camera, would find it very difficult, I think, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wenham/people-who-have-never-done-theatre-before-and-have-only-worked-in/) [David Wenham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wenham/) > [I was terrified of being on stage, and I had to work very hard at a craft to get past that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/i-was-terrified-of-being-on-stage-and-i-had-to-work-very-hard-at-a/) [Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/) > [I think generally playing live is a crap idea. So much of stage work is the presentation of personality, and I've never been interested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-eno/i-think-generally-playing-live-is-a-crap-idea-so-much-of-stage-work/) [Brian Eno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-eno/) > [I did a film very quickly, and then a lot of work for television, and then I did stage work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isabelle-huppert/i-did-a-film-very-quickly-and-then-a-lot-of-work-for-television-and/) [Isabelle Huppert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isabelle-huppert/) ## More by Eric Idle > [“Life's a piece of shit, when you look at it, life's a laugh and deat's a joke, it's true: You'll se it's all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/life-s-a-piece-of-shit-when-you-look-at-it-life-s-a-laugh-and-deat-s/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [Having little money to spend was a valuable learning experience. My schooling also shaped my work ethic because while other children were listening to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/having-little-money-to-spend-was-a-valuable-learning-experience-my/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [Americans like to think 'Python' is how English people really are. There is an element of truth to that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/americans-like-to-think-python-is-how-english-people-really-are-there/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [ If you're famous, you have to \[be overly generous\], otherwise people say, "Eric Idle came in and only left me $4." I always tip… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/if-you-re-famous-you-have-to-be-overly-generous-otherwise-people-say/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [At least in America, you have freedom of speech, which is a good thing. It's just a question of whether you're allowed to use…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/at-least-in-america-you-have-freedom-of-speech-which-is-a-good-thing/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [You look just like you!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/you-look-just-like-you/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [Many years ago I also bought a house in Provence for about 70,000 francs. It had no electricity or running water, and no road…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/many-years-ago-i-also-bought-a-house-in-provence-for-about-70-000/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [No day of my life passes without someone saying the words 'Monty Python' to me. It's not bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/no-day-of-my-life-passes-without-someone-saying-the-words-monty/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [“sticks and stones will break my bones, but words will make me cry by myself in a corner for hours.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/sticks-and-stones-will-break-my-bones-but-words-will-make-me-cry-by/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [I believe in the separation of church and planet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-believe-in-the-separation-of-church-and-planet/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [I've got soggy thighs. It must be dinner time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-ve-got-soggy-thighs-it-must-be-dinner-time/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [At least one way of measuring the freedom of any society is the amount of comedy that is permitted, and clearly a healthy society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/at-least-one-way-of-measuring-the-freedom-of-any-society-is-the/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [The Minister of Transport issued this appeal to motorists: Can anyone give him a lift to Leicester?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/the-minister-of-transport-issued-this-appeal-to-motorists-can-anyone/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [I think the special thing about Python is that it's a writers' commune. The writers are in charge. The writers decide what the material…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-think-the-special-thing-about-python-is-that-it-s-a-writers-commune/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) > [ There's no gap between the writer and the performer, which is what I think makes \[Monty\] Python unique. Five or six people who write… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/there-s-no-gap-between-the-writer-and-the-performer-which-is-what-i/) [Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) [Explore all 122 Eric Idle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/) ## 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 ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/about/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I love stage work. The thing about plays is that they're perfectible. With film, you shoot that take and maybe another. During 'Spamalot,' I rewrote Act II three times.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Eric Idle" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-love-stage-work-the-thing-about-plays-is-that-they-re-perfectible/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "About" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-love-stage-work-the-thing-about-plays-is-that-they-re-perfectible/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/eric-idle-3734_about_i-love-stage-work-the-thing-about-plays_707794.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/eric-idle-3734_about_i-love-stage-work-the-thing-about-plays_707794.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d27/eric-idle-3734_about_i-love-stage-work-the-thing-about-plays_707794.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I love stage work. The thing about plays is that they're perfectible. With film, you shoot that take and…” — Eric Idle", "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": "Eric Idle", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eric-idle/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I love stage work. The thing...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-love-stage-work-the-thing-about-plays-is-that-they-re-perfectible/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-idle/i-love-stage-work-the-thing-about-plays-is-that-they-re-perfectible/#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 } } ] } ```