--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Watching and learning from the great…" description: "\"Watching and learning from the great Josette Bushell-Mingo, who was playing Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra at the time, and then to return to the sa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/gugu-mbatha-raw-8335_great_watching-and-learning-from-the-great-jos_2145567.jpg" --- # Watching and learning from the great Josette… ![“Watching and learning from the great Josette Bushell-Mingo, who was playing Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra at the time, and then to return to the same stage six months later playing a lead role, was incredible - I fell in love with the poetry and the breadth of the language so much that I…” quote by Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/gugu-mbatha-raw-8335_great_watching-and-learning-from-the-great-jos_2145567.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/gugu-mbatha-raw-8335_great_watching-and-learning-from-the-great-jos_2145567.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/gugu-mbatha-raw-8335_great_watching-and-learning-from-the-great-jos_2145567.jpg) > “Watching and learning from the great Josette Bushell-Mingo, who was playing Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra at the time, and then to return to the same stage six months later playing a lead role, was incredible - I fell in love with the poetry and the breadth of the language so much that I didn't want it to end.” [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Observing a seasoned actor's mastery inspired deep appreciation for poetic language and theatrical craft. **In simple terms:** Seeing a great performer sparked love for poetry and stage language. Key Takeaway Seek mentorship and immerse in the art you love. Themes inspiration theatre poetry learning Mood admiring enthusiastic Type reflective motivational When to use this quote - acting workshops - reading classic plays - joining a theatre troupe - studying monologues Key Concepts performance art dramatic literature skill development Questions to Reflect On - How can you apply observed techniques to your own practice? - What aspects of the language resonated most with you? A Different Perspective Great talent can be intimidating and may set unrealistic expectations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Antony And Cleopatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antony-and-cleopatra/) [Antony Cleopatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/antony-cleopatra-4487210/) [Cleopatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleopatra/) [Cleopatra Antony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleopatra-antony-4487211/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Learning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learning/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Playing Cleopatra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-cleopatra-4359921/) [Poetry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poetry/) [Role Incredible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/role-incredible-2654672/) [Six months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/six-months/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Where does an actress go after playing Cleopatra's magnificent death? Why didn't Shakespeare write more - and more powerful - roles for mature women?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-walter/where-does-an-actress-go-after-playing-cleopatra-s-magnificent-death/) [Harriet Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-walter/) > [You still don't get it, do you, Margaret?' Kat smiled almost sadly. 'We never had to steal the Antony. All we had to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/you-still-don-t-get-it-do-you-margaret-kat-smiled-almost-sadly-we/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [I love the fact that there's an evolution in your understanding and the difference between the first time you play the role and last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/audrey-tautou/i-love-the-fact-that-there-s-an-evolution-in-your-understanding-and/) [Audrey Tautou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/audrey-tautou/) > [To see your spouse in a parental role is one of the most incredible things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elisabeth-hasselbeck/to-see-your-spouse-in-a-parental-role-is-one-of-the-most-incredible/) [Elisabeth Hasselbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elisabeth-hasselbeck/) > [To play Cleopatra on Broadway would just be incredible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/to-play-cleopatra-on-broadway-would-just-be-incredible/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [The theme of the dance was "Great Romances," or some such nonsense. There were projections of supposedly great couples from the past on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/the-theme-of-the-dance-was-great-romances-or-some-such-nonsense-there/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“As for the other experiences, the solitary ones, which people go through alone, in their bedrooms, in their offices, walking the fields and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/as-for-the-other-experiences-the-solitary-ones-which-people-go/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“Herod the Great achieved power in Judea with Roman backing; he brutally suppressed all opposition. Herod was a friend of Marc Antony but, unfortunately,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/herod-the-great-achieved-power-in-judea-with-roman-backing-he/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I had always been moved by the story and love of Antony and Cleopatra. Their love moved and changed the world. While their love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shervin-pishevar/i-had-always-been-moved-by-the-story-and-love-of-antony-and-cleopatra/) [Shervin Pishevar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shervin-pishevar/) > [“It may take a decade or two before the extent of Shakespeare's collaboration passes from the graduate seminar to the undergraduate lecture, and finally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-shapiro/it-may-take-a-decade-or-two-before-the-extent-of-shakespeare-s/) [James Shapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-shapiro/) > [“While they were sitting in the room above his shop there had been a distance, and she had never feared—and never hoped— that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-munro/while-they-were-sitting-in-the-room-above-his-shop-there-had-been-a/) [Alice Munro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-munro/) > [Here was a woman about the year 1800 writing without hate, without bitterness, without fear, without protest, without preaching. That was how Shakespeare wrote,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/here-was-a-woman-about-the-year-1800-writing-without-hate-without/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [The language is always powerful in Shakespeare, but with 'Antony and Cleopatra,' the speeches are so big and muscular and rich - exhausting to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harriet-walter/the-language-is-always-powerful-in-shakespeare-but-with-antony-and/) [Harriet Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harriet-walter/) > [“being an artist: "And this susceptibility of theirs is doubly unfortunate , I thought, returning again to my original enquiry into what state of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/being-an-artist-and-this-susceptibility-of-theirs-is-doubly/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) > [“As for describing the smell of a spaniel mixed with the smell of torches, laurels, incense, banners, wax candles and a garland of rose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virginia-woolf/as-for-describing-the-smell-of-a-spaniel-mixed-with-the-smell-of/) [Virginia Woolf](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virginia-woolf/) ## More by Gugu Mbatha-Raw > [I think being biracial is a different experience. I think that, and coming from the U.K., I feel as much white as I do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/i-think-being-biracial-is-a-different-experience-i-think-that-and/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [It is important to be conscious of the message that you're putting out there. It takes a lot of blood, sweat and tears to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/it-is-important-to-be-conscious-of-the-message-that-you-re-putting/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [I didn't really grow up on hip-hop. Ella Fitzgerald and the old school jazz divas are more my comfort zone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/i-didn-t-really-grow-up-on-hip-hop-ella-fitzgerald-and-the-old-school/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [Because of my job, my hair gets played with a lot on set, so I try to give it little bit of breathing space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/because-of-my-job-my-hair-gets-played-with-a-lot-on-set-so-i-try-to/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [Don't worry about society's conditioning and the labels that are put on you by external forces. Hold onto your true self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/don-t-worry-about-society-s-conditioning-and-the-labels-that-are-put/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [I've always had an ear for languages and music so it's something I'm continually working on but it's fun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/i-ve-always-had-an-ear-for-languages-and-music-so-it-s-something-i-m/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [In my own life, when I'm not working, I do wear a lot of black. I think I do feel very comfortable in black.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/in-my-own-life-when-i-m-not-working-i-do-wear-a-lot-of-black-i-think/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [I like to choose things that fit my body for sure; you learn to find the things that complement your shape.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/i-like-to-choose-things-that-fit-my-body-for-sure-you-learn-to-find/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [I definitely grew up to Nina Simone and a lot of Ella Fitzgerald. And I loved Amy Winehouse. I loved that sort of soulful…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/i-definitely-grew-up-to-nina-simone-and-a-lot-of-ella-fitzgerald-and/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [One of my favourite places is Hampstead Heath. When I first moved to London, I lived in Highgate, and I would walk on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/one-of-my-favourite-places-is-hampstead-heath-when-i-first-moved-to/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [I think, irrespective of your race, everybody has moments in life where they don't fit in, or where they try to puzzle through who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/i-think-irrespective-of-your-race-everybody-has-moments-in-life-where/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [I prefer to focus on the future. There are a lot of new stories to be heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/i-prefer-to-focus-on-the-future-there-are-a-lot-of-new-stories-to-be/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [My personal style is somewhat androgynous and simple. With my lifestyle, I've become more of a minimalist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/my-personal-style-is-somewhat-androgynous-and-simple-with-my/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [Because I had grown up with Jane Austen novels and period dramas, I was very familiar with that period and that world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/because-i-had-grown-up-with-jane-austen-novels-and-period-dramas-i/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) > [I never wanted to be like anyone growing up. It's always been about the enjoyment, and I've just never wanted to imitate anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/i-never-wanted-to-be-like-anyone-growing-up-it-s-always-been-about/) [Gugu Mbatha-Raw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) [Explore all 82 Gugu Mbatha-Raw quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/) ## More Cleopatra quotes > [“There's beggary in the love that can be reckoned. (Anthony and Cleopatra - William Shakespeare.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-stuart/there-s-beggary-in-the-love-that-can-be-reckoned-anthony-and/) [Sarah Stuart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-stuart/) > [I'm certainly no Cleopatra. I have legs like a schoolgirl and I don't know how I acquired the knack of attracting producers with very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-tushingham/i-m-certainly-no-cleopatra-i-have-legs-like-a-schoolgirl-and-i-don-t/) [Rita Tushingham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-tushingham/) > [Vanity is illustrated in the cause and effect of love, as in the case of Cleopatra.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/vanity-is-illustrated-in-the-cause-and-effect-of-love-as-in-the-case/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [What we know about Cleopatra's looks is based purely on her coin portraits. Engraving was imperfect, and that when you are a ruler and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/what-we-know-about-cleopatra-s-looks-is-based-purely-on-her-coin/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [No one in the modern world controls the wealth or territory that Cleopatra did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/no-one-in-the-modern-world-controls-the-wealth-or-territory-that/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Girls have always wanted to be pretty, even in Egyptian times. Cleopatra wore all that eyeliner, you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-ora/girls-have-always-wanted-to-be-pretty-even-in-egyptian-times/) [Rita Ora](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-ora/) > [“Her passions are made of nothing but the finest part of pure love; we cannot call her winds and waters, sighs and tears; they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/her-passions-are-made-of-nothing-but-the-finest-part-of-pure-love-we/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“O, whither hast thou led me, Egypt? See How I convey my shame out of thine eyes By looking back what I have left…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-whither-hast-thou-led-me-egypt-see-how-i-convey-my-shame-out-of/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“Against a powerful enchantress there is no contest. Against a woman who ensnares a man in the coils of her serpentine intelligence - in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/against-a-powerful-enchantress-there-is-no-contest-against-a-woman/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [Cleopatra stood at one of the most dangerous intersections in history; that of women and power. Clever women, Euripides had warned hundreds of years…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/cleopatra-stood-at-one-of-the-most-dangerous-intersections-in-history/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“History existed to be retold, with more panache but not necessarily greater accuracy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/history-existed-to-be-retold-with-more-panache-but-not-necessarily/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [The interesting thing about Cleopatra is that she is such a shape-shifter. I mean through history we've all molded her to our times and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-schiff/the-interesting-thing-about-cleopatra-is-that-she-is-such-a-shape/) [Stacy Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-schiff/) > [“Cleopatra's nose, had it been shorter, the whole face of the world would have been changed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blaise-pascal/cleopatra-s-nose-had-it-been-shorter-the-whole-face-of-the-world/) [Blaise Pascal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blaise-pascal/) > [The truth is very few of us are related to Napoleon or Cleopatra. Although, those are bad examples as I am actually descended from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-piddock/the-truth-is-very-few-of-us-are-related-to-napoleon-or-cleopatra/) [Jim Piddock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-piddock/) > [“Not romantic," she disagreed. "To me it would be romantic if Antony properly fell on his sword and kicked the bucket and Cleopatra escaped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-gantos/not-romantic-she-disagreed-to-me-it-would-be-romantic-if-antony/) [Jack Gantos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-gantos/) [Browse all 89 Cleopatra quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleopatra/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Watching and learning from the great Josette Bushell-Mingo, who was playing Cleopatra in Antony and Cleopatra at the time, and then to return to the same stage six months later playing a lead role, was incredible - I fell in love with the poetry and the breadth of the language so much that I didn't want it to end.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Gugu Mbatha-Raw" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/watching-and-learning-from-the-great-josette-bushell-mingo-who-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cleopatra" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/watching-and-learning-from-the-great-josette-bushell-mingo-who-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/gugu-mbatha-raw-8335_great_watching-and-learning-from-the-great-jos_2145567.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/gugu-mbatha-raw-8335_great_watching-and-learning-from-the-great-jos_2145567.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b9a/gugu-mbatha-raw-8335_great_watching-and-learning-from-the-great-jos_2145567.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Watching and learning from the great Josette Bushell-Mingo, who was playing Cleopatra in Antony and…” — Gugu Mbatha-Raw", "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": "Gugu Mbatha-Raw", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gugu-mbatha-raw/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Watching and learning from the great...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/watching-and-learning-from-the-great-josette-bushell-mingo-who-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gugu-mbatha-raw/watching-and-learning-from-the-great-josette-bushell-mingo-who-was/#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 } } ] } ```