Business Quote by John Mortimer
“I knew nothing about farce until I read Puce a l'Oreille, and had no idea what a deadly serious business it is.”
About This Quote
The speaker discovers that farce, often dismissed as frivolous, actually requires precise timing and serious craftsmanship to be effective.
In simple terms: Farce is a disciplined art form.
Key Takeaway
Comedy demands rigor.
Themes
humor
craftsmanship
perception
artistry
seriousness
Mood
playful
thoughtful
intrigued
Type
observation
insight
When to use this quote
- theatre rehearsal
- writing comedy sketches
- directing a sitcom
- teaching improv
Key Concepts
genre
performance
discipline
Practical Applications
- educational workshops on comedy
- critical analysis of comedic works
Questions to Reflect On
- What aspects of farce reveal its seriousness?
- How does understanding the craft change audience appreciation?
![“Take sex, for instance.' 'What do you want me to do with it?' 'Try to be serious for a moment. Take the sex life of our father.' [...] Even after a couple of brandies he felt extremely reluctant to discuss sex and his father. 'It's something I'd rather not think about,' he said. 'We all come into…” quote by John Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/280/john-mortimer-7362_conception_take-sex-for-instance-what-do-you-want-m_4946.jpg)
![“[S]ometimes, when you are a food person, the possible irrelevance of what you are doing doesn’t cross your mind until it’s too late. (Once, for example, when I was just starting out in the food business, I was hired by the caper people to develop a lot of recipes using capers, and it was weeks of…” quote by Nora Ephron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/d79/nora-ephron-1217_business_s-ometimes-when-you-are-a-food-person-th_980.jpg)
![“If the State does not acquire supremacy over [vast private] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State.” quote by Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bad/bertrand-russell-69_acquire_if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy_1379.jpg)