Tragedy is the greatest art form of all. It gives us the courage to continue with our life by exposing us to the pain of life. It is unsentimental, it takes us seriously as human beings, it is not condescending. Paradoxically, by seeing pain we are made greater, it becomes a need.

A good play puts the audience through a certain ordeal.

Theatre should be a taxing experience: the greatest achievement of a writer is to produce a character who creates anxiety.

I don't like sympathetic characters.

I submit all my plays to the National Theatre for rejection. To assure myself I am seeing clearly.

I am so far as I am aware not at all influenced by dramatists, expect for Shakespeare, who I have to say, it is impossible not to be influenced by if you hold language to be the major element of theatre.

You emerge from tragedy equipped against lies. After the musical, you're anybody's fool