Forget narrative, backstory, characterisation, exposition, all of that. Just make the audience want to know what happens next. David Mamet More Quotes by David Mamet More Quotes From David Mamet My alma mater is the Chicago Public Library. I got what little educational foundation I got in the third-floor reading room, under the tutelage of a Coca-Cola sign. David Mamet libraryeducationalreading Being among my people is a delight. We Jews live among ourselves. I love it. David Mamet jewdelightpeople Any time two characters are talking about a third, the scene is a crock of s***. David Mamet writingtalkingcharacter In a restaurant one is both observed and unobserved. Joy and sorrow can be displayed and observed "unwittingly," the writer scowling naively and the diners wondering, What the hell is he doing? David Mamet dinerssorrowjoy People ask me, 'What do you do?' And I tell them I'm a writer, but always with the silent reservation, 'I am, of course, not really a writer. Hemingway was a writer.' David Mamet reservationssilentpeople A stage play is basically a form of uber-schizophrenia. You split yourself into two minds - one being the protagonist and the other being the antagonist. The playwright also splits himself into two other minds: the mind of the writer and the mind of the audience. David Mamet uberplaytwo The product of the artist has become less important than the fact of the artist. We wish to absorb this person. We wish to devour someone who has experienced the tragic. In our society this person is much more important than anything he might create. David Mamet importantartistwish My definition of a 'friend' is, coming from Chicago, someone who says, 'Yeah, sure. You know what? Let's talk about what we can talk about. Let's help each other out. Your politics are none of my business.' David Mamet definitionschicagohelping American football seems to resemble soccer in that one scores by putting the ball through the opponent's goal; but football, truly is about land. The Settlers want to move the line of scrimmage Westward, the Native Americans want to move it East. David Mamet footballsoccermoving My greatest fear is that the audience will beat me to the punch line. David Mamet greatest-fearbeatslines There's something in me that just wants to create dialogue. David Mamet dialoguewant I used to think I'd like to be a fireman - in fact, I still would - and the only drawback I could see was coming back to the firehouse, after a day of fighting fires, and still having to put in an eight-hour day writing. David Mamet fightingwritingthinking There is a profound and ineradicable taint of antisemitism in the British. David Mamet britishprofound The quality I most admire in a man is steadfastness. David Mamet admirequalitymen The essence of jiu-jitsu is philosophy. David Mamet jiu-jitsuessencephilosophy People only speak to get something. David Mamet speakpeople It's hard for a Jew of my generation, an American Jew, who is philo-Zionistic, not to romanticize Israel. David Mamet jewgenerationsisrael In practice we, in the world, must do business with each other. David Mamet practiceworld I'm greedy and ambitious like everybody else. David Mamet greedyambitious I love Superman. I'm a big fan of anyone who can make his living in his underwear. David Mamet underwearbigsfans
