I believe in poetic discourse, in the value of speech in a non-naturalistic way it's speculative.

A good play puts the audience through a certain ordeal.

Theatre should be a taxing experience: the greatest achievement of a writer is to produce a character who creates anxiety.

Tragedy is the greatest art form of all. It gives us the courage to continue with our life by exposing us to the pain of life. It is unsentimental, it takes us seriously as human beings, it is not condescending. Paradoxically, by seeing pain we are made greater, it becomes a need.

I'm not interested in entertainment.

I'm not interested in observed reality.

I’ve often taken important classical, biblical or literary stories and interrogated them. I have tried to reinvigorate Lot by interpreting it differently.

When I write, I am not giving a lecture, I am speculating on behavior. Sometimes this is dangerous, but it should be. As I say often, theatre is a dark place and we should keep the light out of it.

We are suffocated by writers who want to enlighten us with their truths. For me, the theatre is beautiful because it is a secret, and secrets seduce us, we all want to share secrets.

I have plenty of political views and plenty of social and personal prejudices. I do not, however, value them.

I submit all my plays to the National Theatre for rejection. To assure myself I am seeing clearly.