--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had a teacher in Paris, who said that…" description: "\"I had a teacher in Paris, who said that if an actor forgot what it's like to play as a child he shouldn't be an actor. I've always loved being with chi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/588/simon-mcburney-7667_actor_i-had-a-teacher-in-paris-who-said-that-i_841010.png" --- # I had a teacher in Paris, who said that if an actor forgot… ![“I had a teacher in Paris, who said that if an actor forgot what it's like to play as a child he shouldn't be an actor. I've always loved being with children. It's marvellous to see the fresh ways they see the world. Watching them look at a tree or a river helps you to understand something that's…” quote by Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/588/simon-mcburney-7667_actor_i-had-a-teacher-in-paris-who-said-that-i_841010.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/588/simon-mcburney-7667_actor_i-had-a-teacher-in-paris-who-said-that-i_841010.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/588/simon-mcburney-7667_actor_i-had-a-teacher-in-paris-who-said-that-i_841010.png) > “I had a teacher in Paris, who said that if an actor forgot what it's like to play as a child he shouldn't be an actor. I've always loved being with children. It's marvellous to see the fresh ways they see the world. Watching them look at a tree or a river helps you to understand something that's very important.” [Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mcburney/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An actor must retain childlike wonder to keep performances fresh and authentic, as adult habits can dull creativity. **In simple terms:** Keep childlike curiosity in your work. Key Takeaway Cultivate wonder, avoid rigid habits. Themes creativity authenticity playfulness Mood inspirational reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - theatre rehearsals - teaching children - creative workshops Key Concepts improvisation mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can you reconnect with childlike curiosity? - What benefits does fresh perspective bring to your work? A Different Perspective Adults may struggle to stay playful. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Actors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actors/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Marvellous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/marvellous/) [Paris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/paris/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Rivers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rivers/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Tree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tree/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [As a child, acting just seemed like a natural extension of my love of play - and if you've forgotten how to play, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mcburney/as-a-child-acting-just-seemed-like-a-natural-extension-of-my-love-of/) [Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mcburney/) > [I played guitar in a band from when I was about 20 for three years. Then I sang a little. Then I started getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/i-played-guitar-in-a-band-from-when-i-was-about-20-for-three-years/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [A railwayman was training to be an actor, but forgot the lines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-d-dangoor/a-railwayman-was-training-to-be-an-actor-but-forgot-the-lines/) [Robert D Dangoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-d-dangoor/) > [Like a dull actor now, I have forgot my part, and I am out, Even to a full disgrace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/like-a-dull-actor-now-i-have-forgot-my-part-and-i-am-out-even-to-a/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [ \[The Americans\] believe in the idea that a child shouldn't be consigned to poverty just because of circumstances of their birth. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-americans-believe-in-the-idea-that-a-child-shouldn-t-be-consigned/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [People say that a child shouldn't be given everything they want or they will get spoiled. So why get so mad when God doesn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/people-say-that-a-child-shouldn-t-be-given-everything-they-want-or/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [“But the child shouldn't be blamed for the father's crime, she tried to reason with herself, then. But should the child therefore also enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kiran-desai/but-the-child-shouldn-t-be-blamed-for-the-father-s-crime-she-tried-to/) [Kiran Desai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kiran-desai/) > [The idea that if you are very clever you shouldn't be an actor would be laughable in Russia.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-west/the-idea-that-if-you-are-very-clever-you-shouldn-t-be-an-actor-would/) [Samuel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-west/) > [I felt that I shouldn't be an actor who just makes movie after movie in a quest for prestige and money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/i-felt-that-i-shouldn-t-be-an-actor-who-just-makes-movie-after-movie/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [There are those who are value-oriented and those who are success-oriented. 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But the closer you look, the more questions you have about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mcburney/the-brain-constantly-assures-us-reassures-us-that-we-are-in-control/) [Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mcburney/) > [Theatre artists are essentially sort of charlatans and thieves, I mean that's the tradition that we come from, so I have absolutely no, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mcburney/theatre-artists-are-essentially-sort-of-charlatans-and-thieves-i-mean/) [Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mcburney/) > [My work is not generally in the commercial sector. However, I'm not worried by the commercial sector. I refuse to work in any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mcburney/my-work-is-not-generally-in-the-commercial-sector-however-i-m-not/) [Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mcburney/) > [In my opinion, there's nothing new in the theatre, ever. 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That audience looks collectively at what is going on on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mcburney/the-only-reality-of-the-theater-exists-in-the-mind-of-the-audience/) [Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mcburney/) > [I suppose as an actor you become very sensitive to rhythm, not just rhythm as you look at it sort of from the, from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-mcburney/i-suppose-as-an-actor-you-become-very-sensitive-to-rhythm-not-just/) [Simon McBurney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-mcburney/) > [I remember the fact that milk was delivered every day by a milkman. 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But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. 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