--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Certainly, I, as an audience, am stricken…" description: "\"Certainly, I, as an audience, am stricken with terror if I see only two people onstage. And one person, I think, is even harder for people to take.\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/pauline-collins-44743_audience_certainly-i-as-an-audience-am-stricken-w_2615955.jpg" --- # Certainly, I, as an audience, am stricken with terror if I… ![“Certainly, I, as an audience, am stricken with terror if I see only two people onstage. And one person, I think, is even harder for people to take.” quote by Pauline Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/pauline-collins-44743_audience_certainly-i-as-an-audience-am-stricken-w_2615955.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/pauline-collins-44743_audience_certainly-i-as-an-audience-am-stricken-w_2615955.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/92e/pauline-collins-44743_audience_certainly-i-as-an-audience-am-stricken-w_2615955.jpg) > “Certainly, I, as an audience, am stricken with terror if I see only two people onstage. And one person, I think, is even harder for people to take.” [Pauline Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-collins/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Feeling terror when seeing only two actors onstage, especially a single person, highlights audience anxiety about minimal casts. **In simple terms:** Audience feels uneasy with very small casts. Key Takeaway Embrace varied cast sizes to reduce fear. Themes anxiety performance casting Mood uneasy reflective Type observational theatrical When to use this quote - theatre productions - small ensemble rehearsals - directorial decisions Key Concepts stage dynamics audience perception Questions to Reflect On - How does cast size affect audience engagement? - Can minimal casts be as effective as larger ones? A Different Perspective Limited data on specific play makes precise origin unclear. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I think the terror most people are concerned with is the IRS.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/i-think-the-terror-most-people-are-concerned-with-is-the-irs/) [Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/) > [“There was terror in each and every one of the people on that beautiful beach and on that breathtakingly beautiful evening. Terror of being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paulo-coelho/there-was-terror-in-each-and-every-one-of-the-people-on-that/) [Paulo Coelho](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paulo-coelho/) > [Sometimes, occasionally, people will make out in the audience, completely not aware that there's a human being onstage just yards away from them, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-birbiglia/sometimes-occasionally-people-will-make-out-in-the-audience/) [Mike Birbiglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-birbiglia/) > [I had no balance in my life. I was this one person onstage and this person offstage, who really didn't know much about living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elton-john/i-had-no-balance-in-my-life-i-was-this-one-person-onstage-and-this/) [Elton John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elton-john/) > [ I don't think for example that the Indians look at \[what is right and what is wrong\] that way \[the Palestinians do\]. There are… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/i-don-t-think-for-example-that-the-indians-look-at-what-is-right-and/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Turkey is united against terror. People from left and right, men, women, children, different ethnicities, different religious groups are all united, and they're all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/egemen-bag-s/turkey-is-united-against-terror-people-from-left-and-right-men-women/) [Egemen Bag?s](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/egemen-bag-s/) > [Under conditions of terror, most people will comply but some people will not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-arendt/under-conditions-of-terror-most-people-will-comply-but-some-people/) [Hannah Arendt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-arendt/) > [“I have learned to love evoking terror in people. Like this I have a special kind of power over them and they leave me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/d-s-wrights/i-have-learned-to-love-evoking-terror-in-people-like-this-i-have-a/) [D.S. Wrights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/d-s-wrights/) > [And one thing we want during this war on terror is for people to feel like their life's moving on, that they're able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/and-one-thing-we-want-during-this-war-on-terror-is-for-people-to-feel/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [There are a bunch of talented bands out there... So yeah, I often think, 'Why aren't these people onstage and why do I have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julien-baker/there-are-a-bunch-of-talented-bands-out-there-so-yeah-i-often-think/) [Julien Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julien-baker/) > [There's a lot of technical issues with a musical whereas with a play it's just the five people onstage in this moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-faist/there-s-a-lot-of-technical-issues-with-a-musical-whereas-with-a-play/) [Mike Faist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-faist/) > [I haven't had that many people onstage for a while, and I'm looking forward to that. They're all such creative musicians in their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-bird/i-haven-t-had-that-many-people-onstage-for-a-while-and-i-m-looking/) [Andrew Bird](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-bird/) > [We have a lot of people onstage. We have a live violin, live cello, live drums played on this kind of massive electronic kit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-chatto/we-have-a-lot-of-people-onstage-we-have-a-live-violin-live-cello-live/) [Grace Chatto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-chatto/) > [Performing is my therapy, to become different people onstage.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/britney-spears/performing-is-my-therapy-to-become-different-people-onstage/) [Britney Spears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/britney-spears/) > [People see you onstage and, yeah, I'd want to be that guy.I want to be that guy myself very often.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/people-see-you-onstage-and-yeah-i-d-want-to-be-that-guy-i-want-to-be/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) ## More by Pauline Collins > [We all think we're liberated when we have more of everything, don't we? That's what the media tell us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-collins/we-all-think-we-re-liberated-when-we-have-more-of-everything-don-t-we/) [Pauline Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-collins/) > [We all press buttons in relationships, in our dealings with people, without thinking what it really means. We all knock along without questioning what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-collins/we-all-press-buttons-in-relationships-in-our-dealings-with-people/) [Pauline Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-collins/) > [I have played a few lay saints in my time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-collins/i-have-played-a-few-lay-saints-in-my-time/) [Pauline Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-collins/) > [I was brought up a Catholic, so I suppose I have to believe in the goodness of human beings. I think we're not so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-collins/i-was-brought-up-a-catholic-so-i-suppose-i-have-to-believe-in-the/) [Pauline Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-collins/) > [When I started performing, I decided that if in five years I couldn't earn as much money acting as I could as a teacher,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-collins/when-i-started-performing-i-decided-that-if-in-five-years-i-couldn-t/) [Pauline Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-collins/) > [Theater is an engagement between the actor and the audience. Film is a different sort of medium. It's not immediate, but in some ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-collins/theater-is-an-engagement-between-the-actor-and-the-audience-film-is-a/) [Pauline Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-collins/) > [I think goodness is very powerful, but often evil is made more attractive in films. It's a challenge to make goodness appealing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-collins/i-think-goodness-is-very-powerful-but-often-evil-is-made-more/) [Pauline Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-collins/) > [I think you can lose yourself more easily in a film than in the theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauline-collins/i-think-you-can-lose-yourself-more-easily-in-a-film-than-in-the/) [Pauline Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-collins/) [Explore all 9 Pauline Collins quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauline-collins/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Certainly, I, as an audience, am stricken with terror if I see only two people onstage. 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