--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My first professional job was appearing…" description: "\"My first professional job was appearing in a disastrous theatre production of Oh, What a Lovely War in Leicester Rep, shortly after leaving Cambridge.\"..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cea/eric-idle-3734_appearing_my-first-professional-job-was-appearing_2170776.jpg" --- # My first professional job was appearing in a disastrous… ![“My first professional job was appearing in a disastrous theatre production of Oh, What a Lovely War in Leicester Rep, shortly after leaving Cambridge.” quote by Eric Idle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cea/eric-idle-3734_appearing_my-first-professional-job-was-appearing_2170776.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cea/eric-idle-3734_appearing_my-first-professional-job-was-appearing_2170776.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cea/eric-idle-3734_appearing_my-first-professional-job-was-appearing_2170776.jpg) > “My first professional job was appearing in a disastrous theatre production of Oh, What a Lovely War in Leicester Rep, shortly after leaving Cambridge.” [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. He recounts his early career setback in a chaotic theater production, highlighting humility and learning from failure. **In simple terms:** First jobs can be messy but teach valuable lessons. Key Takeaway Embrace early failures as growth opportunities. Themes career humility learning Mood humorous reflective Type motivational inspirational When to use this quote - auditions - stagecraft workshops - reflective journaling Key Concepts theatre production early career creative risk Questions to Reflect On - What did you learn from that chaotic experience? - How can you turn a failure into a stepping stone? A Different Perspective Early setbacks may discourage future attempts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Appearing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearing/) [Appearing Disastrous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/appearing-disastrous-4647699/) [Cambridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cambridge/) [Disastrous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disastrous/) [Disastrous Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/disastrous-theatre-4647697/) [Firsts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/firsts/) [Jobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jobs/) [Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving/) [Leicester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leicester/) [Lovely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lovely/) [Productions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/productions/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Theatre Production](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre-production-4647700/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) [War Leicester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-leicester-4647698/) ## Related quotes > [When I was 12, I played Dorothy in my community theatre production of 'The Wizard of Oz,' and it was very critically hailed by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsay-mendez/when-i-was-12-i-played-dorothy-in-my-community-theatre-production-of/) [Lindsay Mendez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsay-mendez/) > [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/) > [Tony Cottee once played in all four divisions in one season. Cottee started 2000-01 at Leicester City, where he made a couple of Premiership…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-cornwell/tony-cottee-once-played-in-all-four-divisions-in-one-season-cottee/) [Phil Cornwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-cornwell/) > [I was lucky enough to have Tony Cottee when I was at Leicester, who was a senior pro at the time and would give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-heskey/i-was-lucky-enough-to-have-tony-cottee-when-i-was-at-leicester-who/) [Emile Heskey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-heskey/) > [Once I got to Leicester, I just wanted to prove myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-drinkwater/once-i-got-to-leicester-i-just-wanted-to-prove-myself/) [Danny Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-drinkwater/) > [Anybody who can do anything in Leicester but make a jumper has got to be a genius.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-clough/anybody-who-can-do-anything-in-leicester-but-make-a-jumper-has-got-to/) [Brian Clough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-clough/) > [In 2015-16, when Leicester won the title, I didnt really believe they were going to do it until the last four or five weeks…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-savage/in-2015-16-when-leicester-won-the-title-i-didnt-really-believe-they/) [Robbie Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-savage/) > [I showed Leicester the love and that city never showed me the love back. That place has shown me nothing but contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-morrison/i-showed-leicester-the-love-and-that-city-never-showed-me-the-love/) [Mark Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-morrison/) > [Leicester have been unbelievable to me, and I'm really happy there, but I'm also an ambitious player, and everyone wants to play at the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-maguire/leicester-have-been-unbelievable-to-me-and-i-m-really-happy-there-but/) [Harry Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-maguire/) > [This is Leicester City. They are a yo-yo club and always have been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-carragher/this-is-leicester-city-they-are-a-yo-yo-club-and-always-have-been/) [Jamie Carragher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-carragher/) > [I wanted to make a difference at Leicester and it was something I needed, to be more focused.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-drinkwater/i-wanted-to-make-a-difference-at-leicester-and-it-was-something-i/) [Danny Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-drinkwater/) > [The Leicester story is great for the game in England. It's great for the appreciation of the Premier League.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/the-leicester-story-is-great-for-the-game-in-england-it-s-great-for/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [People are possibly not spelling 'Leicester' correctly everywhere round the globe, but they are at least saying it correctly now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-lineker/people-are-possibly-not-spelling-leicester-correctly-everywhere-round/) [Gary Lineker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-lineker/) > [Fame is not just about being able to get out of a limo in Leicester Square, it's about trying to get into your house…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-astley/fame-is-not-just-about-being-able-to-get-out-of-a-limo-in-leicester/) [Rick Astley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-astley/) > [I have an affinity with the Leicester community and want the best for them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-morrison/i-have-an-affinity-with-the-leicester-community-and-want-the-best-for/) [Mark Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-morrison/) ## 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. 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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 Actor 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. 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I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [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/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! 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