--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was 20, the idea of having a play…" description: "\"When I was 20, the idea of having a play on anywhere was just beyond my dreams.\" — Tom Stoppard" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/tom-stoppard-437_anywhere_when-i-was-20-the-idea-of-having-a-play_80849.png" --- # When I was 20, the idea of having a play on anywhere was… ![“When I was 20, the idea of having a play on anywhere was just beyond my dreams.” quote by Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/tom-stoppard-437_anywhere_when-i-was-20-the-idea-of-having-a-play_80849.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/tom-stoppard-437_anywhere_when-i-was-20-the-idea-of-having-a-play_80849.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/tom-stoppard-437_anywhere_when-i-was-20-the-idea-of-having-a-play_80849.png) > “When I was 20, the idea of having a play on anywhere was just beyond my dreams.” [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A youthful yearning for the freedom to create and perform anywhere, reflecting ambition beyond current limits. **In simple terms:** Dreaming of limitless creative freedom. Key Takeaway Ambition drives imagination. Themes ambition creativity freedom youth dreams Mood hopeful aspirational Type personal reflection inspirational When to use this quote - college student planning a theater tour - young writer seeking global stages - artist envisioning worldwide performances Key Concepts self‑actualization artistic expression Practical Applications - career planning for artists - motivational workshops for creatives Questions to Reflect On - What constraints limit your creative aspirations? - How can you expand your artistic horizons? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Idea](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idea/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) ## Related quotes > [“My key entrepreneurial goal: Find a $20 idea, I can sell for $17.95.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-fitchett/my-key-entrepreneurial-goal-find-a-20-idea-i-can-sell-for-17-95/) [Garry Fitchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-fitchett/) > [I gotta do some sad scenes. Why, I never tried to make anybody cry in my life! And I go 'round all the time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buster-keaton/i-gotta-do-some-sad-scenes-why-i-never-tried-to-make-anybody-cry-in/) [Buster Keaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buster-keaton/) > [One of the best things in life...having someone to play with your hair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-best-things-in-life-having-someone-to-play-with-your-hair/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We're too focused on tradition in England, like always having to play 4-4-2. Sometimes you need to experiment, drop a bit deeper so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-barton/we-re-too-focused-on-tradition-in-england-like-always-having-to-play/) [Joey Barton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-barton/) > [A lot of the drive to make narratives came from having to play by myself as a 5- or 6-year-old in the woods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-tobin-anderson/a-lot-of-the-drive-to-make-narratives-came-from-having-to-play-by/) [Matthew Tobin Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-tobin-anderson/) > [Being on a book tour is like being on the seesaw when you're a little kid. The excitement is in having someone to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/being-on-a-book-tour-is-like-being-on-the-seesaw-when-you-re-a-little/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Then to have your baby playing at the school you played at and having him play well is a special treat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-kramer/then-to-have-your-baby-playing-at-the-school-you-played-at-and-having/) [Jerry Kramer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-kramer/) > [If everyones happy, then Im the character where when I enter that means theres trouble. 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It is an immortal character…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/for-my-part-if-the-audience-wanted-to-see-dracula-again-i-would-be/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I don't feel that I belong anywhere. Or rather, if there's a place I belong, I don't feel I'm there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-don-t-feel-that-i-belong-anywhere-or-rather-if-there-s-a-place-i/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I was always excited by the idea of having my own company, but models are rarely serious when they venture off into something else,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/coco-rocha/i-was-always-excited-by-the-idea-of-having-my-own-company-but-models/) [Coco Rocha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/coco-rocha/) > [I like the idea of having a food truck and being a part of community events.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-wahlberg/i-like-the-idea-of-having-a-food-truck-and-being-a-part-of-community/) [Paul Wahlberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-wahlberg/) > [My mom had no idea she was having twins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brie-bella/my-mom-had-no-idea-she-was-having-twins/) [Brie Bella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brie-bella/) ## More by Tom Stoppard > [If I wanted to change the world, the last thing I would do is write a play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-i-wanted-to-change-the-world-the-last-thing-i-would-do-is-write-a/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [If you want to change something by Tuesday, theater is no good. Journalism is what does that. But, if you want to just alter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/if-you-want-to-change-something-by-tuesday-theater-is-no-good/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Childhood is Last Chance Gulch for happiness. After that, you know too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/childhood-is-last-chance-gulch-for-happiness-after-that-you-know-too/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [After all these years, I definitely associate having a pen in my hand with having an ashtray just out of eye line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/after-all-these-years-i-definitely-associate-having-a-pen-in-my-hand/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [The universe is deterministic all right, just like Newton said, I mean it's trying to be, but the only thing going wrong is people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/the-universe-is-deterministic-all-right-just-like-newton-said-i-mean/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For me, human rights simply endorse a view of life and a set of moral values that are perfectly clear to an eight-year-old child.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-me-human-rights-simply-endorse-a-view-of-life-and-a-set-of-moral/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [“What is an artist? For every thousand people there's nine hundred doing the work, ninety doing well, nine doing good, and one lucky bastard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/what-is-an-artist-for-every-thousand-people-there-s-nine-hundred/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Dying is not romantic, and death is not a game which will soon be over... Death is not anything... death is not... It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/dying-is-not-romantic-and-death-is-not-a-game-which-will-soon-be-over/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [I'm not interested in clothes; I just like them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/i-m-not-interested-in-clothes-i-just-like-them/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [For 10 years of my life, 3 times a day, I thanked the Lord for what I was about to receive and thanked him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/for-10-years-of-my-life-3-times-a-day-i-thanked-the-lord-for-what-i/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [You should not translate for more than two hours at a time. After that, you lose your edge, the language becomes clumsy, rigid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/you-should-not-translate-for-more-than-two-hours-at-a-time-after-that/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [No matter how imperfect things are, if you've got a free press everything is correctable, and without it everything is concealable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/no-matter-how-imperfect-things-are-if-you-ve-got-a-free-press/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [We must be born with an intuition of mortality. Before we know the word for it. Before we know that there are words. Out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/we-must-be-born-with-an-intuition-of-mortality-before-we-know-the/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [Eternity's a terrible thought. I mean, where's it all going to end?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/eternity-s-a-terrible-thought-i-mean-where-s-it-all-going-to-end/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) > [There is truth and falsehood in a comma.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/there-is-truth-and-falsehood-in-a-comma/) [Tom Stoppard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) [Explore all 559 Tom Stoppard quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/) ## More Anywhere quotes > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [If there is a record I don't have, I haven't heard it yet. My collection is always growing, but I can't really play it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grandmaster-flash/if-there-is-a-record-i-don-t-have-i-haven-t-heard-it-yet-my/) [Grandmaster Flash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grandmaster-flash/) > [My love of music has been ever-growing, and to live in Music City - I don't want to live anywhere else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-palladio/my-love-of-music-has-been-ever-growing-and-to-live-in-music-city-i/) [Sam Palladio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-palladio/) > [There is only one position for an artist anywhere; and that is upright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/there-is-only-one-position-for-an-artist-anywhere-and-that-is-upright/) [Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/) > [You don't get anywhere unless you've had a little bit of a complicated life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/you-don-t-get-anywhere-unless-you-ve-had-a-little-bit-of-a/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Once I get out onstage, it's the same sort of basic production that it is anywhere else. But I might be a little bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-snow/once-i-get-out-onstage-it-s-the-same-sort-of-basic-production-that-it/) [Phoebe Snow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-snow/) > [I am a wire-walker. I can walk any time, anywhere - I'm indestructible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippe-petit/i-am-a-wire-walker-i-can-walk-any-time-anywhere-i-m-indestructible/) [Philippe Petit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippe-petit/) > [If you can make it as a children's party fairy, you can make it anywhere.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-snook/if-you-can-make-it-as-a-children-s-party-fairy-you-can-make-it/) [Sarah Snook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-snook/) > [My parents said that sitting at home playing video games all day won't bring you anywhere in life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pewdiepie/my-parents-said-that-sitting-at-home-playing-video-games-all-day-won/) PewDiePie > [Land ownership in Guatemala is more unequal than anywhere else in Latin America. Roughly 90 percent of Guatemalan farms are too small to support…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-kinzer/land-ownership-in-guatemala-is-more-unequal-than-anywhere-else-in/) [Stephen Kinzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-kinzer/) > [I'm always thinking as an outsider, and I'm always mindful of whether a company can be impactful on a global basis. Frankly, I'm paranoid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danny-rimer/i-m-always-thinking-as-an-outsider-and-i-m-always-mindful-of-whether/) [Danny Rimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danny-rimer/) > [I'm a fan boy when it comes to Michael Buble. He's just so good at 'it'. He's got a voice of this generation, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robbie-williams/i-m-a-fan-boy-when-it-comes-to-michael-buble-he-s-just-so-good-at-it/) [Robbie Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robbie-williams/) > ['Back to Blood' really took it out of me. While I was writing it, I just never went out anywhere, except to the gym.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/back-to-blood-really-took-it-out-of-me-while-i-was-writing-it-i-just/) [Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/) > [I didn't go to school, because I never stayed anywhere long enough, so I was completely closed off from the outside world. I had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neon-hitch/i-didn-t-go-to-school-because-i-never-stayed-anywhere-long-enough-so/) [Neon Hitch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neon-hitch/) > [I'm a Buckeye at heart. I spend more time giving concerts in Ohio than I do in any other state - perhaps more time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-jarreau/i-m-a-buckeye-at-heart-i-spend-more-time-giving-concerts-in-ohio-than/) [Al Jarreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-jarreau/) Browse all 745 Anywhere quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was 20, the idea of having a play on anywhere was just beyond my dreams.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Tom Stoppard" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/when-i-was-20-the-idea-of-having-a-play-on-anywhere-was-just-beyond/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Anywhere" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/when-i-was-20-the-idea-of-having-a-play-on-anywhere-was-just-beyond/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/tom-stoppard-437_anywhere_when-i-was-20-the-idea-of-having-a-play_80849.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/tom-stoppard-437_anywhere_when-i-was-20-the-idea-of-having-a-play_80849.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e88/tom-stoppard-437_anywhere_when-i-was-20-the-idea-of-having-a-play_80849.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was 20, the idea of having a play on anywhere was just beyond my dreams.” — Tom Stoppard", "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": "Tom Stoppard", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-stoppard/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was 20, the idea...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/when-i-was-20-the-idea-of-having-a-play-on-anywhere-was-just-beyond/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-stoppard/when-i-was-20-the-idea-of-having-a-play-on-anywhere-was-just-beyond/#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 } } ] } ```