"They look so expectant, and then they look so depressed... that was the other great lesson that The Royal Hunt of the Sun taught me, it was the profundity that masked drama can achieve, that of course, the audience were not seeing masks moving at all"

This quote by Peter Shaffer speaks with the power of theatre and the impact it can have on an audience. He is referring to the play The Royal Hunt of the Sun, which he composed. He is describing the audience's response to the play, noting how they look expectant and after that depressed. He is saying that the audience was not seeing masks moving, however rather the profundity of the drama. He is stressing the power of theatre to move an audience and to make them feel a variety of feelings. He is suggesting that the audience was not simply seeing a play, however rather experiencing something much deeper. This quote talks to the power of theatre and the effect it can have on an audience. It is a tip of the importance of theatre and the potential it has to move and inspire individuals.