--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The role I played [in theatre] was…" description: "\"The role I played [in theatre] was originated by Ian McKellen in 1979 and he came. I didn't know he was there and I walked out at the end of the play, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/patrick-heusinger-20623_beautiful_the-role-i-played-in-theatre-was-origina_722393.jpg" --- # The role I played \[in theatre\] was originated by Ian… ![“The role I played [in theatre] was originated by Ian McKellen in 1979 and he came. I didn't know he was there and I walked out at the end of the play, which is a very intense play - my character is required to do some really horrible things - and the director was waiting backstage and he goes…” quote by Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/patrick-heusinger-20623_beautiful_the-role-i-played-in-theatre-was-origina_722393.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/patrick-heusinger-20623_beautiful_the-role-i-played-in-theatre-was-origina_722393.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/patrick-heusinger-20623_beautiful_the-role-i-played-in-theatre-was-origina_722393.jpg) > “The role I played \[in theatre\] was originated by Ian McKellen in 1979 and he came. I didn't know he was there and I walked out at the end of the play, which is a very intense play - my character is required to do some really horrible things - and the director was waiting backstage and he goes, "Obviously I didn't want to tell you guys, but Ian was here today" and we, of course, freaked out.Ian McKellen said some really beautiful, kind things, one of which was, "It's so much harder to watch than it is to do."” [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even seasoned actors can be surprised by unexpected moments on stage, highlighting the intensity of live performance. **In simple terms:** Live theatre is unpredictable and intense. Key Takeaway Stay present and adaptable on stage. Themes theatre surprise intensity Mood anxious excited Type reflective inspirational When to use this quote - stage productions - rehearsals - actor workshops - live events Key Concepts performance art presence unexpected encounters Questions to Reflect On - How do you prepare for unexpected moments on stage? - What can you learn from surprise in performance? A Different Perspective Even with preparation, surprises can disrupt performance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beautiful/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Directors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/directors/) [Horrible things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/horrible-things/) [Intense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intense/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Really beautiful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-beautiful/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [Ian McKellen always said I should come out. But why? I make my living playing heterosexuals.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-hawthorne/ian-mckellen-always-said-i-should-come-out-but-why-i-make-my-living/) [Nigel Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-hawthorne/) > [Sometimes, out of really horrible things come really beautiful things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-kiedis/sometimes-out-of-really-horrible-things-come-really-beautiful-things/) [Anthony Kiedis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-kiedis/) > [“ You are the only common denominator in everything that has happened to you in life, be it good or bad. To learn/grow from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ac-anderson/you-are-the-only-common-denominator-in-everything-that-has-happened/) AC Anderson > [The cop in 'Dhruva' had to be much more agile, far more fit and alert than any role I had played so far. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ram-charan/the-cop-in-dhruva-had-to-be-much-more-agile-far-more-fit-and-alert/) [Ram Charan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ram-charan/) > [The first role that I played as a musical - I was 14 years old, and I played Birdie in 'Bye Bye Birdie.' That…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/the-first-role-that-i-played-as-a-musical-i-was-14-years-old-and-i/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I think the first role I ever played was the Magic Carpet in 'Aladdin Jr.' I did a lot of tap dancing and not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madelaine-petsch/i-think-the-first-role-i-ever-played-was-the-magic-carpet-in-aladdin/) [Madelaine Petsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madelaine-petsch/) > [In Anger Management,' he said,'we had to do all this role-playing stuff. You know, to get used to handling things in a less volatile…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/in-anger-management-he-said-we-had-to-do-all-this-role-playing-stuff/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) > [Without doubt, you are recognized for the last role you played.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-moore/without-doubt-you-are-recognized-for-the-last-role-you-played/) [Roger Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-moore/) > [The first role I played was Madame Ranevsky in 'The Cherry Orchard.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/the-first-role-i-played-was-madame-ranevsky-in-the-cherry-orchard/) [Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/) > [The very first role I ever played was as a 17-year old South African girl who dreamed of being a star and left home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kandyse-mcclure/the-very-first-role-i-ever-played-was-as-a-17-year-old-south-african/) [Kandyse McClure](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kandyse-mcclure/) > [Quite often, I have a compelling sense of how a role should be played. And I'm proved - equally as often - quite wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-pinter/quite-often-i-have-a-compelling-sense-of-how-a-role-should-be-played/) [Harold Pinter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-pinter/) > [Many associate me with the person I was when I was young. But I had a different role then, played in a different position.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-gotze/many-associate-me-with-the-person-i-was-when-i-was-young-but-i-had-a/) [Mario Gotze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-gotze/) > [The first role I ever played I had the lead and it's pretty much stayed that way, though people take great relish in calling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/the-first-role-i-ever-played-i-had-the-lead-and-it-s-pretty-much/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [Every role I have played has had a bit of me in them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashish-sharma/every-role-i-have-played-has-had-a-bit-of-me-in-them/) [Ashish Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashish-sharma/) > [“What to keep of all these reels of film, what to throw away? If we could only take 1 memory on our journey, what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yasmina-khadra/what-to-keep-of-all-these-reels-of-film-what-to-throw-away-if-we/) [Yasmina Khadra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yasmina-khadra/) ## More by Patrick Heusinger > [Obviously I was talking to my parents and my girlfriend all the time, but it's one thing to finally be in the same room…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/obviously-i-was-talking-to-my-parents-and-my-girlfriend-all-the-time/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [Sociopaths are more complicated psychopaths; the difference between a sociopath and a psychopath is a sociopath is incredibly charming. There are a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/sociopaths-are-more-complicated-psychopaths-the-difference-between-a/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [I read as many books about the psychology of a psychopath as I could and I researched what exactly happens to soldiers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/i-read-as-many-books-about-the-psychology-of-a-psychopath-as-i-could/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [I went into very deep research as to what exactly that meant and how sociopaths function psychologically and within the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/i-went-into-very-deep-research-as-to-what-exactly-that-meant-and-how/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [When I look at myself in the mirror, I don't see the bad guy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/when-i-look-at-myself-in-the-mirror-i-don-t-see-the-bad-guy/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [ You get a role like this in a big action movie \[like Jack Reacher\] and you can go one of two ways: you can… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/you-get-a-role-like-this-in-a-big-action-movie-like-jack-reacher-and/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [Psychopaths don't have that charming skill set. They definitely manipulate, but they do it through focused, unskilled means. They're more obsessive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/psychopaths-don-t-have-that-charming-skill-set-they-definitely/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [I was eating with the help of a nutritionist so I was definitely putting in the appropriate calories and vitamins and minerals into my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/i-was-eating-with-the-help-of-a-nutritionist-so-i-was-definitely/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [For some roles, like when I was doing Bent, that was harder and I didn't find that helpful because I was so calorie deprived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/for-some-roles-like-when-i-was-doing-bent-that-was-harder-and-i-didn/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [When I did Casual, I just let myself put on weight because he's a schoolteacher. He's not meant to be muscle-y.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/when-i-did-casual-i-just-let-myself-put-on-weight-because-he-s-a/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [I had just come off of doing a play in Los Angeles which actually got me the role. It was called Bent and it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/i-had-just-come-off-of-doing-a-play-in-los-angeles-which-actually-got/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [I'm obsessive about my job and I want it to be as great as it can possibly be, especially right now in these early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/i-m-obsessive-about-my-job-and-i-want-it-to-be-as-great-as-it-can/) [Patrick Heusinger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-heusinger/) > [You can hear how hard I work, I think, from these stories I'm telling. 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I didn't know he was there and I walked out at the end of the play, which is a very intense play - my character is required to do some really horrible things - and the director was waiting backstage and he goes, \"Obviously I didn't want to tell you guys, but Ian was here today\" and we, of course, freaked out.Ian McKellen said some really beautiful, kind things, one of which was, \"It's so much harder to watch than it is to do.\"", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick Heusinger" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/the-role-i-played-in-theatre-was-originated-by-ian-mckellen-in-1979/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beautiful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-heusinger/the-role-i-played-in-theatre-was-originated-by-ian-mckellen-in-1979/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/patrick-heusinger-20623_beautiful_the-role-i-played-in-theatre-was-origina_722393.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/patrick-heusinger-20623_beautiful_the-role-i-played-in-theatre-was-origina_722393.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/da2/patrick-heusinger-20623_beautiful_the-role-i-played-in-theatre-was-origina_722393.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The role I played [in theatre] was originated by Ian McKellen in 1979 and he came. 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