Acting Quote by John Hurt
![“What I like about [Berthold] Brecht, it's very interesting. When Helene Weigel came over and somebody talked about Lotte Lenya and said "well, she wasn't alienating." And Weigel said "No, no, no. Why, Lotte Lenya was so true - who cares?" She said: "Berti only developed the theory of alienation in…” quote by John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/586/john-hurt-1669_acting_what-i-like-about-berthold-brecht-it-s-v_1814403.jpg)
“What I like about [Berthold] Brecht, it's very interesting. When Helene Weigel came over and somebody talked about Lotte Lenya and said "well, she wasn't alienating." And Weigel said "No, no, no. Why, Lotte Lenya was so true - who cares?" She said: "Berti only developed the theory of alienation in order to stop bad acting." I heard her say that. Now that's brilliant.”
About This Quote
Source Film: Interview with John Hurt, 1990s
The quote highlights how Brecht's alienation theory was used to prevent poor performances, emphasizing authenticity over alienation in acting.
In simple terms: Brecht's theory aimed to keep acting genuine, not to alienate audiences.
Key Takeaway
Focus on truthful performance, not theatrical distance.
Themes
theatre
acting
authenticity
Mood
reflective
analytical
Type
critical
theoretical
When to use this quote
- stage productions
- acting workshops
- directorial decisions
- actor training
Key Concepts
Brechtian alienation
performance theory
Questions to Reflect On
- How does alienation affect audience engagement?
- Can authenticity replace traditional theatrical techniques?
A Different Perspective
The theory can be misinterpreted as discouraging audience connection.
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![“I got used to [ Lars Von Trier] doing the narration for 'Dogville' and 'Manderley.' And I said to him I do these narrations for you but you never put me in a film! So he called my bluff and put me in 'Melancholia' and I was thrilled about that.” quote by John Hurt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/ccf/john-hurt-1669_bluffs_i-got-used-to-lars-von-trier-doing-the-n_55595.jpg)
