"There's something about doing theatre in London - it sinks a little bit deeper into your soul as an actor. It's something about the tradition of theatre, about performing on the West End stage"
About this Quote
The subtext is about status and risk. For a screen-famous American actor, theatre can be read as a corrective: proof you’re not just a face edited into coherence. London, specifically, sharpens that test. The audience is reputedly alert, the critical culture loud, the tradition heavily narrated. Saying it “sinks” implies you don’t leave unmarked; you submit to the institution and hope it makes you better rather than exposing you.
He’s also flattering the ecosystem in a way that’s strategic without feeling cynical. Actors praising the West End signal respect for a craft lineage (Olivier, Gielgud, the whole mythos) and reassure theatre audiences wary of celebrity casting. Slater’s admiration doubles as an appeal: I’m here for the work, not the brand extension.
What makes it work is the blend of reverence and embodiment. “Tradition” can sound like a brochure word; “deeper into your soul” makes it visceral, personal, and slightly haunted - exactly the romantic charge theatre still sells when it wants to feel irreplaceable.
Quote Details
| Topic | Art |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
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Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Slater, Christian. (2026, January 17). There's something about doing theatre in London - it sinks a little bit deeper into your soul as an actor. It's something about the tradition of theatre, about performing on the West End stage. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-something-about-doing-theatre-in-london-47227/
Chicago Style
Slater, Christian. "There's something about doing theatre in London - it sinks a little bit deeper into your soul as an actor. It's something about the tradition of theatre, about performing on the West End stage." FixQuotes. January 17, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-something-about-doing-theatre-in-london-47227/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"There's something about doing theatre in London - it sinks a little bit deeper into your soul as an actor. It's something about the tradition of theatre, about performing on the West End stage." FixQuotes, 17 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/theres-something-about-doing-theatre-in-london-47227/. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

