"Naturally enough when I was a young dancer, I was terribly anxious to get ahead, and to get ahead quickly. I was impatient with all those older people who talked of the long grind to the top, who turned me down for jobs I knew I could do"
About this Quote
Youth in the performing arts doesn’t just want success; it wants acceleration, the feeling of life moving at the speed of talent. Anna Neagle’s recollection catches that combustible mix of ambition and impatience, and it lands because it refuses to romanticize “paying dues.” Her younger self isn’t humbly learning craft in a garret; she’s certain she can do the work and furious at gatekeepers who treat time served as a proxy for merit.
The intent feels double-edged: a candid confession of ego, but also a quiet indictment of an industry that polices opportunity with vague, paternal warnings about “the long grind.” That phrase does a lot of cultural work. It’s less advice than a system’s favorite alibi, a way to recast exclusion as character-building. Neagle’s irritation with “older people” isn’t mere generational sniping; it’s about power. The older professionals control auditions, contracts, and reputations, and they can dignify rejection by framing it as wisdom.
Context sharpens the stakes. Neagle came up through British musical theatre and early film at a time when careers were precarious and youth - especially for women - was both currency and a ticking clock. “Quickly” isn’t just impatience; it’s strategy in a marketplace that prizes freshness and then punishes aging. The subtext is the cruel paradox of show business: you’re told to wait your turn in an economy that may not grant you time.
The intent feels double-edged: a candid confession of ego, but also a quiet indictment of an industry that polices opportunity with vague, paternal warnings about “the long grind.” That phrase does a lot of cultural work. It’s less advice than a system’s favorite alibi, a way to recast exclusion as character-building. Neagle’s irritation with “older people” isn’t mere generational sniping; it’s about power. The older professionals control auditions, contracts, and reputations, and they can dignify rejection by framing it as wisdom.
Context sharpens the stakes. Neagle came up through British musical theatre and early film at a time when careers were precarious and youth - especially for women - was both currency and a ticking clock. “Quickly” isn’t just impatience; it’s strategy in a marketplace that prizes freshness and then punishes aging. The subtext is the cruel paradox of show business: you’re told to wait your turn in an economy that may not grant you time.
Quote Details
| Topic | Career |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
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