--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I find it very strange when people say…" description: "\"I find it very strange when people say that they are trying to solve 'Uncle Vanya' or find a solution for 'Henry V.' Plays aren't puzzles. They are abo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/robert-lepage-5205_acting_i-find-it-very-strange-when-people-say-t_3092072.jpg" --- # I find it very strange when people say that they are… ![“I find it very strange when people say that they are trying to solve 'Uncle Vanya' or find a solution for 'Henry V.' Plays aren't puzzles. They are about playing. But so much theatre has become about performing and acting rather than playing, which is a great pity because audiences are captivated…” quote by Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/robert-lepage-5205_acting_i-find-it-very-strange-when-people-say-t_3092072.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/robert-lepage-5205_acting_i-find-it-very-strange-when-people-say-t_3092072.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/robert-lepage-5205_acting_i-find-it-very-strange-when-people-say-t_3092072.jpg) > “I find it very strange when people say that they are trying to solve 'Uncle Vanya' or find a solution for 'Henry V.' Plays aren't puzzles. They are about playing. But so much theatre has become about performing and acting rather than playing, which is a great pity because audiences are captivated by watching people play.” [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Theatre should be about play and spontaneity, not just performance; treating it as a puzzle loses its vitality. **In simple terms:** Theatre is play, not a puzzle. Key Takeaway Embrace playful creativity in performance. Themes theatre creativity play performance audience Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - actor rehearsals - directed productions - educational workshops - community theatre - audience engagement Key Concepts artistic expression improvisation authenticity Questions to Reflect On - How can you make rehearsal feel like play? - What does “play” mean to your audience? A Different Perspective Focusing solely on performance can stifle genuine expression. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Playing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-playing-644432/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/great/) [Henry v](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/henry-v/) [Playing Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playing-theatre-4899360/) [Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays/) [Plays Aren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays-aren-2244805/) [Strange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strange/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I'd love to have written a film and it to be regarded as good. I'd just like to be doing things that are good,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-corden/i-d-love-to-have-written-a-film-and-it-to-be-regarded-as-good-i-d/) [James Corden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-corden/) > [Speaking about myself, I've been pleasantly surprised that my older plays are still being performed. Most important is that they still have something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/speaking-about-myself-i-ve-been-pleasantly-surprised-that-my-older/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [All that day she had had the feeling that she was playing in the theatre with actors better than herself and that her poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/all-that-day-she-had-had-the-feeling-that-she-was-playing-in-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [My plays aren't stylistically the same. Just being an African-American woman playwright on Broadway is experimental.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzan-lori-parks/my-plays-aren-t-stylistically-the-same-just-being-an-african-american/) [Suzan-Lori Parks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzan-lori-parks/) > [It's funny, oftentimes the really great roles that I enjoy are in classic plays, and there aren't many theatres in New York who will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laila-robins/it-s-funny-oftentimes-the-really-great-roles-that-i-enjoy-are-in/) [Laila Robins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laila-robins/) > [The truth is that a lot of plays aren't political at all. In American theater history, political theater has tended to crop up when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-rich/the-truth-is-that-a-lot-of-plays-aren-t-political-at-all-in-american/) [Frank Rich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-rich/) > [I think the only reason I wanted to do modeling, really, was because I knew I wasn't ready to act; I knew I didn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dree-hemingway/i-think-the-only-reason-i-wanted-to-do-modeling-really-was-because-i/) [Dree Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dree-hemingway/) > [It wasn't until after I received my education that I seriously looked at sports entertainment as a way to make a career for myself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-cena/it-wasn-t-until-after-i-received-my-education-that-i-seriously-looked/) [John Cena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-cena/) > [I was acting when I was playing baseball.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-uecker/i-was-acting-when-i-was-playing-baseball/) [Bob Uecker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-uecker/) > [I just want to keep working, really. I just want to keep acting. Playing one part for a very long time builds up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-radcliffe/i-just-want-to-keep-working-really-i-just-want-to-keep-acting-playing/) [Daniel Radcliffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-radcliffe/) > [Anchoring or doing anything live is thrilling. But acting and playing different characters is also amazing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mandira-bedi/anchoring-or-doing-anything-live-is-thrilling-but-acting-and-playing/) [Mandira Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mandira-bedi/) > [Acting. Whenever I am playing a character, I use my real life experiences, which puts me on the line of reliving some of those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-holker/acting-whenever-i-am-playing-a-character-i-use-my-real-life/) [Allison Holker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-holker/) > [When you're acting, playing the bad guy, you get a chance to open up this box inside and look at all the bad things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-kemp/when-you-re-acting-playing-the-bad-guy-you-get-a-chance-to-open-up/) [Martin Kemp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-kemp/) > [I hope to be acting until I'm playing the role of Grandma, and I'd like to branch out in film - producing, directing, all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/america-ferrera/i-hope-to-be-acting-until-i-m-playing-the-role-of-grandma-and-i-d/) [America Ferrera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/america-ferrera/) > [Acting is nothing more or less than playing. The idea is to humanize life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/acting-is-nothing-more-or-less-than-playing-the-idea-is-to-humanize/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) ## More by Robert Lepage > [Without meaning to sound crass, I've never had any psychological... help. It's because I feel my work is so revealing about who I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/without-meaning-to-sound-crass-i-ve-never-had-any-psychological-help/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [We tend to forget that in those days before the Internet and HBO and Imax and 3-D cinema, opera was the thing. Opera and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/we-tend-to-forget-that-in-those-days-before-the-internet-and-hbo-and/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [The first 'Ring' in Bayreuth was about the poetical world, the mythological world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/the-first-ring-in-bayreuth-was-about-the-poetical-world-the/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [For me, theater will always be very, very much alive, but not necessarily in the theatrical tradition.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/for-me-theater-will-always-be-very-very-much-alive-but-not/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [I can't really define myself as a dramatist or as an actor or as someone who is interested in music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/i-can-t-really-define-myself-as-a-dramatist-or-as-an-actor-or-as/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [When we work on a new theatre piece, we improvise a lot. But it's the opposite in opera, where everything is fixed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/when-we-work-on-a-new-theatre-piece-we-improvise-a-lot-but-it-s-the/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [Everybody loves Vegas, and everybody puts it down, especially intellectuals and artists. We have to rub our feet on it, but we're all secretly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/everybody-loves-vegas-and-everybody-puts-it-down-especially/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [I've always had a passion for geography. Even at a very young age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/i-ve-always-had-a-passion-for-geography-even-at-a-very-young-age/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [I want to be surprised by life... I think that's more interesting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/i-want-to-be-surprised-by-life-i-think-that-s-more-interesting/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [Reading fairytales to children expands their imaginations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/reading-fairytales-to-children-expands-their-imaginations/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [My naivety is to assume people will think there's compassion and solidarity in wanting to play someone even though we are not them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/my-naivety-is-to-assume-people-will-think-there-s-compassion-and/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [A puppet, for example, is just a piece of wood, a couple of rivets, but put them together, and if you know how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/a-puppet-for-example-is-just-a-piece-of-wood-a-couple-of-rivets-but/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [In everything I've done, I've always tried to make room for indigenous people, to include them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/in-everything-i-ve-done-i-ve-always-tried-to-make-room-for-indigenous/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [When I went into the conservatory at 17, then I was able to open up and accept everything about myself and show my feminine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/when-i-went-into-the-conservatory-at-17-then-i-was-able-to-open-up/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) > [During the tour of 'Circulations,' we spent a lot of time in Canadian Chinatowns. I was fascinated by the idea that you can cross…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/during-the-tour-of-circulations-we-spent-a-lot-of-time-in-canadian/) [Robert Lepage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) [Explore all 100 Robert Lepage quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/) ## 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. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! 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": "I find it very strange when people say that they are trying to solve 'Uncle Vanya' or find a solution for 'Henry V.' Plays aren't puzzles. They are about playing. But so much theatre has become about performing and acting rather than playing, which is a great pity because audiences are captivated by watching people play.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Lepage" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/i-find-it-very-strange-when-people-say-that-they-are-trying-to-solve/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Acting" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/i-find-it-very-strange-when-people-say-that-they-are-trying-to-solve/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/robert-lepage-5205_acting_i-find-it-very-strange-when-people-say-t_3092072.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/robert-lepage-5205_acting_i-find-it-very-strange-when-people-say-t_3092072.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f75/robert-lepage-5205_acting_i-find-it-very-strange-when-people-say-t_3092072.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I find it very strange when people say that they are trying to solve 'Uncle Vanya' or find a solution for…” — Robert Lepage", "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 Lepage", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-lepage/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I find it very strange when...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/i-find-it-very-strange-when-people-say-that-they-are-trying-to-solve/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-lepage/i-find-it-very-strange-when-people-say-that-they-are-trying-to-solve/#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 } } ] } ```