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... the dramatist has to tell his story entirely in the present tense. We must allow him a certain license in foreshortening changes in human beings which in order to be true to life require the passage of time.

— Desmond MacCarthy Theatre (1955)

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More quotes by Desmond MacCarthy

Many changes within human beings, such as offer the most interesting themes, are inevitably hidden and silent, or too gradual for drama. 'To penetrate deeply into the human consciousness is the glory of the philosopher, the moralist, the novelist, and, to a certain degree, even of the lyric poet', but the capacity to do so is not enough to make a dramatist.

Theatre (1955)

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Desmond MacCarthy (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.