I think my emotional revulsion against Stalin's terror would have stopped me in my tracks.
“No matter what - rehearsed, under-rehearsed, over-rehearsed, doubts about rehearsing - the first gig is always the first gig, and you put on your little praying hat, batten down the hatch, and do what you do.”
“I think we must quote whenever we feel that the allusion is interesting or helpful or amusing.”