Howard Barker Quotes

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

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

I am so far as I am aware not at all influenced by dramatists, expect for Shakespeare, who I have to say, it is impossible not to be influenced by if you hold language to be the major element of theatre.

I never 'say' anything in my work. I invent a world. Let others decide what is being 'said'.