--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If a playwright is funny, the English…" description: "\"If a playwright is funny, the English look for a serious message, and if he's serious, they look for a joke.\" — Sacha Guitry" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/sacha-guitry-18498_comedy_if-a-playwright-is-funny-the-english-loo_742898.jpg" --- # If a playwright is funny, the English look for a serious… ![“If a playwright is funny, the English look for a serious message, and if he's serious, they look for a joke.” quote by Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/sacha-guitry-18498_comedy_if-a-playwright-is-funny-the-english-loo_742898.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/sacha-guitry-18498_comedy_if-a-playwright-is-funny-the-english-loo_742898.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/sacha-guitry-18498_comedy_if-a-playwright-is-funny-the-english-loo_742898.jpg) > “If a playwright is funny, the English look for a serious message, and if he's serious, they look for a joke.” [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Audiences expect the opposite tone from a playwright’s usual style, seeking balance between humor and seriousness. **In simple terms:** People look for contrast in a writer’s work. Key Takeaway Embrace tonal flexibility to surprise your audience. Themes theatre expectations tone audience perception Mood thoughtful playful Type advice observational When to use this quote - writing a script - directing a play - marketing a show Key Concepts genre expectations creative risk performance reception Questions to Reflect On - How can you blend humor and seriousness effectively? - What risks arise when subverting expectations? A Different Perspective Audiences may resist when expectations are too rigid. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Comedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) [Joke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/joke/) [Jokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/jokes/) [Messages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/messages/) [Playwright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/playwright/) ## Related quotes > [I enjoy the way I look, but it's a joke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolly-parton/i-enjoy-the-way-i-look-but-it-s-a-joke/) [Dolly Parton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolly-parton/) > [I started acting pretty much by accident. I was doing read-throughs for a playwright who I was assisting, and then an agency saw me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-burnet/i-started-acting-pretty-much-by-accident-i-was-doing-read-throughs/) [Guy Burnet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-burnet/) > [I love Tennessee Williams; as a playwright, he's so poetic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-bourne/i-love-tennessee-williams-as-a-playwright-he-s-so-poetic/) [Matthew Bourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-bourne/) > [I know playwrights who like to kid themselves into saying that their characters are so well formed that they just take over. They determine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-albee/i-know-playwrights-who-like-to-kid-themselves-into-saying-that-their/) [Edward Albee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-albee/) > [I had a sort of bad experiences as a playwright early on, when directors were putting in huge concepts that I didn't intend, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-rapp/i-had-a-sort-of-bad-experiences-as-a-playwright-early-on-when/) [Adam Rapp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-rapp/) > [Almost every college playwright or sketch or improv comedian was sort of aware of Christopher Durang - even kids in high school. His short…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/almost-every-college-playwright-or-sketch-or-improv-comedian-was-sort/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [Lou Tyrrell has created a theatre that is a safe haven for playwrights, a birthing center for new American writing. Arts Garage has created…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-horovitz/lou-tyrrell-has-created-a-theatre-that-is-a-safe-haven-for/) [Israel Horovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-horovitz/) > [There are certainly times in history where power associates itself closely with fields that we would call the humanities, like rulers surrounding themselves with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elliott-colla/there-are-certainly-times-in-history-where-power-associates-itself/) [Elliott Colla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elliott-colla/) > [I want to be a playwright the way people are bank tellers. I want to keep doing it and have it go steadily and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-greenberg/i-want-to-be-a-playwright-the-way-people-are-bank-tellers-i-want-to/) [Richard Greenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-greenberg/) > [I did a thing called 24 Hour Plays, a thing they do every year on Broadway. A bunch of playwrights and actors get together,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-raab/i-did-a-thing-called-24-hour-plays-a-thing-they-do-every-year-on/) [Scott Raab](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-raab/) > [One of the best things that happened for me as a playwright is becoming a comic-book writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roberto-aguirre-sacasa/one-of-the-best-things-that-happened-for-me-as-a-playwright-is/) [Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roberto-aguirre-sacasa/) > [All the reasons which made the initiation of physical force evil, make the retaliatory use of physical force a moral imperative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/all-the-reasons-which-made-the-initiation-of-physical-force-evil-make/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [An article on playwrights in the Daily Mail , listed according to Hard Left, Soft Left, Hard Right, Soft Right and Centre. I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-bennett/an-article-on-playwrights-in-the-daily-mail-listed-according-to-hard/) [Alan Bennett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-bennett/) > [I think the only real referent for anybody writing drama is probably Hamlet. You have the most extreme tragic drama, this sort of blood-boltered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-monahan/i-think-the-only-real-referent-for-anybody-writing-drama-is-probably/) [William Monahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-monahan/) > [Not everyone is capable of madness; and of those lucky enough to be capable, not many have the courage for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/august-strindberg/not-everyone-is-capable-of-madness-and-of-those-lucky-enough-to-be/) [August Strindberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/august-strindberg/) ## More by Sacha Guitry > [Being a Parisian is not about being born in Paris, it is about being reborn there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/being-a-parisian-is-not-about-being-born-in-paris-it-is-about-being/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [You can pretend to be serious; but you can't pretend to be witty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/you-can-pretend-to-be-serious-but-you-can-t-pretend-to-be-witty/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [I have my ignorance to thank for the few things I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/i-have-my-ignorance-to-thank-for-the-few-things-i-know/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [What probably distorts everything in life is that one is convinced that one is speaking the truth because one says what one thinks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/what-probably-distorts-everything-in-life-is-that-one-is-convinced/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [Our wisdom comes from our experience, and our experience comes from our foolishness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/our-wisdom-comes-from-our-experience-and-our-experience-comes-from/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [I would gladly admit women are superior to men if only they would stop trying to be the same as us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/i-would-gladly-admit-women-are-superior-to-men-if-only-they-would/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [If the birth of a genius resembles that of an idiot, the end of a Havana Corona resembles that of a 5-cent cigar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/if-the-birth-of-a-genius-resembles-that-of-an-idiot-the-end-of-a/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [Even the most respectable woman has a complete set of clothes in her wardrobe ready for a possible abduction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/even-the-most-respectable-woman-has-a-complete-set-of-clothes-in-her/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [The little I know I owe to my ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/the-little-i-know-i-owe-to-my-ignorance/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [The others were only my wives. But you, my dear, will be my widow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/the-others-were-only-my-wives-but-you-my-dear-will-be-my-widow/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [Nothing is new, all is rehash.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/nothing-is-new-all-is-rehash/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [When a man steals your wife, there is no better revenge than to let him keep her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/when-a-man-steals-your-wife-there-is-no-better-revenge-than-to-let/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [The secret of a good marriage is forgiving your partner for marrying you in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/the-secret-of-a-good-marriage-is-forgiving-your-partner-for-marrying/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [Why is it better to love than to be loved? It is surer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/why-is-it-better-to-love-than-to-be-loved-it-is-surer/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) > [If those who talk ill about me really know what I'm think about them they maybe talk twice more](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/if-those-who-talk-ill-about-me-really-know-what-i-m-think-about-them/) [Sacha Guitry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) [Explore all 30 Sacha Guitry quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/) ## More Comedy quotes > ['Mad TV' is one of my most favorite shows of all time and is a huge part of my obsession with sketch comedy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shane-dawson/mad-tv-is-one-of-my-most-favorite-shows-of-all-time-and-is-a-huge/) [Shane Dawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shane-dawson/) > [You can laugh at me, but I understand show business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ksenia-sobchak/you-can-laugh-at-me-but-i-understand-show-business/) [Ksenia Sobchak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ksenia-sobchak/) > [Joking about violence is not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/perez-hilton/joking-about-violence-is-not-funny/) [Perez Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/perez-hilton/) > [I wouldn't want people to laugh at me. That's why I have to give all that I can, and at least produce something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zhao-wei/i-wouldn-t-want-people-to-laugh-at-me-that-s-why-i-have-to-give-all/) [Zhao Wei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zhao-wei/) > [“Our world will not die as a result of the bomb, as the papers say, it will die of laughter, of banality, of making a joke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carlos-ruiz-zafon/our-world-will-not-die-as-a-result-of-the-bomb-as-the-papers-say-it/) [Carlos Ruiz Zafon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carlos-ruiz-zafon/) > [I've been funny my whole life. This is a gift God gave me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-morgan/i-ve-been-funny-my-whole-life-this-is-a-gift-god-gave-me/) [Tracy Morgan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-morgan/) > [“Laugh and grow strong”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ignatius-of-loyola/laugh-and-grow-strong/) [Ignatius of Loyola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ignatius-of-loyola/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [That's something a lot of folks don't know about me - I'm pretty darn funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jai-white/that-s-something-a-lot-of-folks-don-t-know-about-me-i-m-pretty-darn/) [Michael Jai White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jai-white/) > [I have that need in me, I want everyone to love me, but I'm embarrassed by that need, so I wanted to cover it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-jeselnik/i-have-that-need-in-me-i-want-everyone-to-love-me-but-i-m-embarrassed/) [Anthony Jeselnik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-jeselnik/) > [There's a difference between delivering real funny and just silly funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lil-rel-howery/there-s-a-difference-between-delivering-real-funny-and-just-silly/) [Lil Rel Howery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lil-rel-howery/) > [Oh to that corkscrew, the useful tool to unlock the treasure of wit, the treasury of laughter, the front door of fellowship, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-guzaldo/oh-to-that-corkscrew-the-useful-tool-to-unlock-the-treasure-of-wit/) [Andrew Guzaldo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-guzaldo/) > [“Men circle like bees around honey, buzzing to communicate their sexual despair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carla-h-krueger/men-circle-like-bees-around-honey-buzzing-to-communicate-their-sexual/) [Carla H Krueger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carla-h-krueger/) > [I do love to laugh!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/teresa-giudice/i-do-love-to-laugh/) [Teresa Giudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/teresa-giudice/) > [I really enjoy making people laugh; I've discovered that's a great technique. That's as powerful as stirring their sorrow, stirring their compassion, because that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-lucado/i-really-enjoy-making-people-laugh-i-ve-discovered-that-s-a-great/) [Max Lucado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-lucado/) [Browse all 19,795 Comedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comedy/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If a playwright is funny, the English look for a serious message, and if he's serious, they look for a joke.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sacha Guitry" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/if-a-playwright-is-funny-the-english-look-for-a-serious-message-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Comedy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/if-a-playwright-is-funny-the-english-look-for-a-serious-message-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/sacha-guitry-18498_comedy_if-a-playwright-is-funny-the-english-loo_742898.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/sacha-guitry-18498_comedy_if-a-playwright-is-funny-the-english-loo_742898.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/94a/sacha-guitry-18498_comedy_if-a-playwright-is-funny-the-english-loo_742898.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If a playwright is funny, the English look for a serious message, and if he's serious, they look for a joke.” — Sacha Guitry", "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": "Sacha Guitry", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sacha-guitry/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If a playwright is funny, the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/if-a-playwright-is-funny-the-english-look-for-a-serious-message-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sacha-guitry/if-a-playwright-is-funny-the-english-look-for-a-serious-message-and/#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 } } ] } ```