John Tiffany

“How do we compete with the 3D superscreens at the cineplex? We just make it better - because theatre is better because it's live. Instead of trying to be like the poor cousin, we need to accept that we're the king.”

“One of my favorite things to read in the 'Observer' is the restaurant review by Jay Rayner. I love reading about these restaurants that I won't ever have the time to go to.”

“There are some actors who see a show as something to do before going out.”

“I tend to work quite a lot during the weekends. My weekend can often be about two hours on Sunday.”

“I'm fascinated to see how 'Black Watch' connects with an American audience.”

“I don't think that just because people will pay a certain amount for a ticket that it's all right to charge it.”

“The physicality of a production needs evolution and breath.”

“I suppose what I aspire to do is to make it easy for the audience to connect with a story.”

“When I get really down, I remember that we all share 99.99 per cent of our DNA with Beyonce. And suddenly, the world doesn't seem too bleak.”

“'Once' constantly surprises me. I think it's the power of the music and the storytelling that people connect with.”

“A first preview is not exactly a pleasant experience for directors and actors. You're never as raw as when the audience first comes in.”

“I'm not interested in putting naturalism on stage - I want passion.”

“I'm never going to stop making theatre, but I don't think I'll make it as much, because I don't need to. There are other things I want to do with my life. I want to sit by the sea in Yorkshire and eat Eccles cakes and spend time with my family.”

“It couldn't interest me less, the idea of putting a living room on stage. I just think, what's the point of walking into a theater to see a living room? A sofa in a forest? Now you're talking.”

“Usually, in theatre, you're adapting existing material or creating an entirely new play. With the 'Cursed Child,' we have been given the unique opportunity to explore some of the most cherished books and beloved characters ever written, yet work with J. K. Rowling to tell a story from that world that no one yet knows - it's exhilarating.”

“I do like horror films, but I wouldn't ever be interested in putting a horror on stage - blood doesn't equal horror.”

“'Philistines' was so beautiful, and it bored me to death. I never want to see another production where the rain splashes against a window and actors wander around in drab cardigans saying, 'I'm so bored.'”

“I studied theatre at Glasgow University and then was lucky enough to land a scholarship with a theatre group in Edinburgh.”

“The power of imagination is infinite.”

“When you tell a story that you know is having an effect on the audience, that, for me, is the transforming thing.”