Agamemnon Quote by Matt Lucas
“I played Thersites and I remember we were also doing some places out of town before starting our run at The Old Vic in London and we were at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford and I walked on stage and I've got an opening speech that begins: "Agamemnon, how if he had boils?" And I went on and said: "Agamemnon..." And a woman in the front row just went 'tut'. I thought: "I've only done four syllables, give us a chance!" I got one word out and the audience were already tutting. It was worse than any heckle I ever had doing comedy. So, I'll stick to gnomes.”
About This Quote
Source Theatre: Performance at The Old Vic, London, date unknown
The speaker’s brief opening was poorly received, highlighting the risk of underpreparedness in live performance.
In simple terms: Unprepared jokes can fail quickly.
Key Takeaway
Prepare more before performing.
Themes
performance
risk
audience reaction
Mood
anxious
embarrassed
Type
humorous
reflective
When to use this quote
- theatre shows
- stand‑up comedy
- first impressions
- public speaking
Key Concepts
comedy
stagecraft
confidence
Questions to Reflect On
- How can you gauge audience expectations?
- What backup plans help when a joke fails?
A Different Perspective
Audience reaction can be unpredictable despite preparation.