--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The trouble with plays these days is that…" description: "\"The trouble with plays these days is that they're too easy to understand.\" — Robert Alan Aurthur" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/668/robert-alan-aurthur-45618_acting_the-trouble-with-plays-these-days-is-tha_1048272.png" --- # The trouble with plays these days is that they're too easy… ![“The trouble with plays these days is that they're too easy to understand.” quote by Robert Alan Aurthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/668/robert-alan-aurthur-45618_acting_the-trouble-with-plays-these-days-is-tha_1048272.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/668/robert-alan-aurthur-45618_acting_the-trouble-with-plays-these-days-is-tha_1048272.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/668/robert-alan-aurthur-45618_acting_the-trouble-with-plays-these-days-is-tha_1048272.png) > “The trouble with plays these days is that they're too easy to understand.” [Robert Alan Aurthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-alan-aurthur/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Modern plays often prioritize clarity over complexity, reducing depth and challenge for audiences. **In simple terms:** Plays are too simple now. Key Takeaway Seek richer, layered storytelling. Themes theater clarity depth audience engagement Mood critical reflective Type analytical observational When to use this quote - playwriting - directing - acting - audience critique Key Concepts Narrative simplicity artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - How does simplicity affect emotional impact? - Can clarity coexist with depth? A Different Perspective Simplicity may limit intellectual stimulation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy/) [Easy Understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/easy-understand-377023/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays/) [Plays Days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays-days-2491312/) [These days](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/these-days/) [Too easy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-easy/) [Trouble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble/) [Trouble Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trouble-plays-581927/) ## Related quotes > [At one time I'd been to every park except Baltimore and Houston, but can't even keep track of who plays where these days.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-p-kinsella/at-one-time-i-d-been-to-every-park-except-baltimore-and-houston-but/) [W. P. Kinsella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-p-kinsella/) > [Jazz in itself is not struggling. That is, the music itself is not struggling... It's the attitude that's in trouble. My plays insist that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-wilson/jazz-in-itself-is-not-struggling-that-is-the-music-itself-is-not/) [August Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-wilson/) > [When I play in Atlantic City, I perform Tuesdays through Sundays for two weeks, and I have 91-percent attendance. No one else plays six…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chubby-checker/when-i-play-in-atlantic-city-i-perform-tuesdays-through-sundays-for/) [Chubby Checker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chubby-checker/) > [I kind of like the three-point shoot-out. It's very easy to understand, very simple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-johnson-jr/i-kind-of-like-the-three-point-shoot-out-it-s-very-easy-to-understand/) [Ernie Johnson Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-johnson-jr/) > [A role like I had on 'Parks and Rec,' to me, is very easy to understand, and that's something that I can do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/a-role-like-i-had-on-parks-and-rec-to-me-is-very-easy-to-understand/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [“Complex problems have simple, easy to understand, wrong answers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/complex-problems-have-simple-easy-to-understand-wrong-answers/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think that my work is easy to understand because I am not a thinker, I am not a... How can I put it?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-olds/i-think-that-my-work-is-easy-to-understand-because-i-am-not-a-thinker/) [Sharon Olds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-olds/) > [Haryanavi is an easy to understand language. People enjoy speaking, listening it and to relate to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/satish-kaushik/haryanavi-is-an-easy-to-understand-language-people-enjoy-speaking/) [Satish Kaushik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/satish-kaushik/) > [You know, it's never easy to understand why I do what I do. For other people, I mean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thom-yorke/you-know-it-s-never-easy-to-understand-why-i-do-what-i-do-for-other/) [Thom Yorke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thom-yorke/) > [My words are easy to understand and easy to perform, Yet no man under heaven knows them or practices them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/my-words-are-easy-to-understand-and-easy-to-perform-yet-no-man-under/) [Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/) > [Rock roll is not obscure, it's really easy to understand. So is my painting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-slick/rock-roll-is-not-obscure-it-s-really-easy-to-understand-so-is-my/) [Grace Slick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-slick/) > [They try to make you think they care about what you do but they don't. They don't want you to act a certain way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/they-try-to-make-you-think-they-care-about-what-you-do-but-they-don-t/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [Simple words are always easy to understand, Not because they are simple just that even a hater can use his heart instead of mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/simple-words-are-always-easy-to-understand-not-because-they-are/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“i'm easy to understand even when i don't understand myself...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-bukowski/i-m-easy-to-understand-even-when-i-don-t-understand-myself/) [Charles Bukowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-bukowski/) > [Simple make it easy if it's easy to understand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/simple-make-it-easy-if-it-s-easy-to-understand/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Robert Alan Aurthur > [The good deed you do today, for a brother or sister in need will come back to you some day, for humanity's a circle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/the-good-deed-you-do-today-for-a-brother-or-sister-in-need-will-come/) [Robert Alan Aurthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-alan-aurthur/) > [The flower of kindness will grow. Maybe not now, but it will some day. And in kind that kindness will flow, for kindness grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/the-flower-of-kindness-will-grow-maybe-not-now-but-it-will-some-day/) [Robert Alan Aurthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-alan-aurthur/) > [Together we are creating a more peaceful, just and sustainable world through kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/together-we-are-creating-a-more-peaceful-just-and-sustainable-world/) [Robert Alan Aurthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-alan-aurthur/) > [Throughout the 64-day campaign, events and activities for peace and nonviolence take place all around the world, highlighting existing peacebuilding initiatives and inspiring new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/throughout-the-64-day-campaign-events-and-activities-for-peace-and/) [Robert Alan Aurthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-alan-aurthur/) > [Cultural differences should not separate us from each other, but rather cultural diversity brings a collective strength that can benefit all of humanity." Also:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/cultural-differences-should-not-separate-us-from-each-other-but/) [Robert Alan Aurthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-alan-aurthur/) > [Stand up for the things that are right. Try to talk things out instead of fight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/stand-up-for-the-things-that-are-right-try-to-talk-things-out-instead/) [Robert Alan Aurthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-alan-aurthur/) > [Sometimes just a smile on our face can help to make this world a better place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/sometimes-just-a-smile-on-our-face-can-help-to-make-this-world-a/) [Robert Alan Aurthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-alan-aurthur/) > [Water is one of the most basic of all needs - we cannot live for more than a few days without it. And yet,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/water-is-one-of-the-most-basic-of-all-needs-we-cannot-live-for-more/) [Robert Alan Aurthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-alan-aurthur/) [Explore all 9 Robert Alan Aurthur quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-alan-aurthur/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. 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Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. I do believe that young adults go to college to learn things, and that this process will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-weingarten/i-do-not-believe-in-public-shaming-i-do-believe-that-young-adults-go/) [Gene Weingarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-weingarten/) > [Poetry has, in a way, been my bridge to my acting career.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/omari-hardwick/poetry-has-in-a-way-been-my-bridge-to-my-acting-career/) [Omari Hardwick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/omari-hardwick/) [Browse all 12,062 Acting quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The trouble with plays these days is that they're too easy to understand.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Alan Aurthur" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/the-trouble-with-plays-these-days-is-that-they-re-too-easy-to/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/the-trouble-with-plays-these-days-is-that-they-re-too-easy-to/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/668/robert-alan-aurthur-45618_acting_the-trouble-with-plays-these-days-is-tha_1048272.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/668/robert-alan-aurthur-45618_acting_the-trouble-with-plays-these-days-is-tha_1048272.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/668/robert-alan-aurthur-45618_acting_the-trouble-with-plays-these-days-is-tha_1048272.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The trouble with plays these days is that they're too easy to understand.” — Robert Alan Aurthur", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robert Alan Aurthur", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-alan-aurthur/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The trouble with plays these days...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/the-trouble-with-plays-these-days-is-that-they-re-too-easy-to/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-alan-aurthur/the-trouble-with-plays-these-days-is-that-they-re-too-easy-to/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```