--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I played Thersites and I remember we were…" description: "\"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..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/matt-lucas-22404_agamemnon_i-played-thersites-and-i-remember-we-wer_2767990.png" --- # I played Thersites and I remember we were also doing some… ![“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…” quote by Matt Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/matt-lucas-22404_agamemnon_i-played-thersites-and-i-remember-we-wer_2767990.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/matt-lucas-22404_agamemnon_i-played-thersites-and-i-remember-we-wer_2767990.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/473/matt-lucas-22404_agamemnon_i-played-thersites-and-i-remember-we-wer_2767990.png) > “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.” [Matt Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lucas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. 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. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Agamemnon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agamemnon/) [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Give us a chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/give-us-a-chance/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/london/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Stage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stage/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [Practice works because practice gives us a chance to relax enough to make smart choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/practice-works-because-practice-gives-us-a-chance-to-relax-enough-to/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [ Her \[Sarah Palin\] son went to Iraq under George W. 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I remember going to the Rocket Pictures base and they had something like 40 people there, drawing.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lucas/but-we-did-see-the-process-develop-i-remember-going-to-the-rocket/) [Matt Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lucas/) > [If I ever play Hamlet, it'll be in a dress!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lucas/if-i-ever-play-hamlet-it-ll-be-in-a-dress/) [Matt Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lucas/) > [It's very likely that graduates, current employees and retirees have some wonderful pieces of Deer Park history in their closets or garages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lucas/it-s-very-likely-that-graduates-current-employees-and-retirees-have/) [Matt Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lucas/) > [People see my impressions as a great skill and I am flattered, but there are things I can't do that everyone else can. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-lucas/people-see-my-impressions-as-a-great-skill-and-i-am-flattered-but/) [Matt Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lucas/) [Explore all 27 Matt Lucas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-lucas/) ## More Agamemnon quotes > [“But the Danaan princes and Agamemnon’s battalions, soon as they saw the man and his arms flashing amid the glom, trembled with mighty fear;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/virgil/but-the-danaan-princes-and-agamemnon-s-battalions-soon-as-they-saw/) [Virgil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/virgil/) > [Old men are always young enough to learn with profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aeschylus/old-men-are-always-young-enough-to-learn-with-profit/) [Aeschylus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aeschylus/) > [When I heard the word ''stream'' uttered with such a revolting primness, what I think of is urine and not the contemporary novel. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-joyce/when-i-heard-the-word-stream-uttered-with-such-a-revolting-primness/) [James Joyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-joyce/) > [“This consideration takes us very close to what it is that makes Greek tragedy “tragic.” A play about an unambiguously heroic young woman, someone’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-mendelsohn/this-consideration-takes-us-very-close-to-what-it-is-that-makes-greek/) [Daniel Mendelsohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-mendelsohn/) > [Herodotus is not more indisputably the father of history than is Sir Boyle Roche the father of Bulls. No doubt there were makers of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boyle-roche/herodotus-is-not-more-indisputably-the-father-of-history-than-is-sir/) [Boyle Roche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boyle-roche/) > [Many heroes lived before Agamemnon; but all are unknown and unwept, extinguished in everlasting night, because they have no spirited chronicler.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/many-heroes-lived-before-agamemnon-but-all-are-unknown-and-unwept/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [After so many years even the fire of passion dies, and with it what was believed the light of the truth. Who of us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/after-so-many-years-even-the-fire-of-passion-dies-and-with-it-what/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [I have gazed on the face of Agamemnon,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heinrich-schliemann/i-have-gazed-on-the-face-of-agamemnon/) [Heinrich Schliemann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heinrich-schliemann/) > [“AGAMEMNON: Oh immovable law of heaven! Oh my anguish, my relentless fate! CLYTEMNESTRA: Yours? Mine. Hers. No relenting for any of us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/agamemnon-oh-immovable-law-of-heaven-oh-my-anguish-my-relentless-fate/) [Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/) > [Rage - Goddess, sing the rage of Peleus' son Achilles, murderous, doomed, that cost the Achaeans countless losses, hurling down to the House of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/homer/rage-goddess-sing-the-rage-of-peleus-son-achilles-murderous-doomed/) [Homer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/homer/) > [The greatest horrors in the history of mankind are not due to the ambition of the Napoleons or the vengeance of the Agamemnons, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleister-crowley/the-greatest-horrors-in-the-history-of-mankind-are-not-due-to-the/) [Aleister Crowley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleister-crowley/) > [The nightingales are singing near The Convent of the Sacred Heart, And sang within the bloody wood When Agamemnon cried aloud, And let their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-s-eliot/the-nightingales-are-singing-near-the-convent-of-the-sacred-heart-and/) [T. S. Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-s-eliot/) > [Many brave men lived before Agamemnon; but, all unwept and unknown, are lost in the distant night, since they are without a divine poet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/many-brave-men-lived-before-agamemnon-but-all-unwept-and-unknown-are/) [Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/) > [“There was precious little nobility in the features of the High King's fleshy face. Like his body, his face was broad and heavy, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-bova/there-was-precious-little-nobility-in-the-features-of-the-high-king-s/) [Ben Bova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-bova/) > [“Rest in Peace?’ Why that phrase? That’s the most ridiculous phrase I’ve ever heard! You die, and they say ‘Rest in Peace!’ …Why would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roman-payne/rest-in-peace-why-that-phrase-that-s-the-most-ridiculous-phrase-i-ve/) [Roman Payne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roman-payne/) [Browse all 24 Agamemnon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/agamemnon/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "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. 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