Every now and then I have to teach directing. The thing about the theatre is that the most important thing you can do as a director is to make sure that everybody is in the same world - you have to create the world and make sure everyone buys into it.

When I got married, my mother was very surprised. She said: What on earth is going on? I thought you were gay?

I always say, 'I really need to take a break.' It's three days in and I'm getting pretty bored.

You go through a process of refinement and getting rid of the excesses of your early youth in terms of your excitement about what theatre can do.

They're a redefinition of boredom... the most important thing you need to know about an awards show is where is the nearest smoking opportunity.

I'm a theatre person, that's who I am. I'm happy to make sojourns into the world of movies but I'm basically a theatre director that potters off and does a couple of movies.

I think it's absolutely fascinating that in Berlin the parliament can discuss actively the role of their soldiers in Afghanistan because is it still possible, literally, for a German soldier to take up arms.