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I like the tragedies way more than the comedies because they’re so universal.

Alan Cumming

My feeling about work is it’s much more about the experience of doing it than the end product. Sometimes things that are really great and make lots of money are miserable to make, and vice versa.
ALAN CUMMING

Do End Experience Feel Product Work
The thing with film and theater is that you always know the story so you can play certain cues in each scene with the knowledge that you know where the story’s going to end and how it’s going to go. But on television nobody knows what’s going to happen, even the writers.
ALAN CUMMING

Always Certain End Film Go Know Knowledge Play Story Theatre Thing
I usually can find a way to do a character to make it real and work. But sometimes it’s a struggle sustaining that, because there’s such a level of personal involvement and personal, physical, and emotional distraughtness.
ALAN CUMMING

Character Distrautness Emotion Involve Level Make Physical Real Sometimes Struggle Usually Way Work
Romeo is the most misunderstood character in literature, I think. He’s hardcore to play because he’s displaying the characteristics of Hamlet at the beginning, and, well, then everything else happens.
ALAN CUMMING

Character Characteristic Everything Hamlet Happen Harcore Literature Lover Misunderstood Most Play Think
If you are a cabaret artist and you are mostly singing other people’s songs, you’re asking them to rethink a song, listen to it in a different way. The most impact you can have while asking them to re-listen to a song is if it’s a song they know very well.
ALAN CUMMING

Ask Cabaret Different Listen Mostly People Rethink Sing Song
Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues it can begin to feel commonplace and eventually acceptable.
ALAN CUMMING

Abuse Acceptable Continue Finally Form Opinion Scare Shape
I’m Scottish first, and it’s odd to hear that I’m a Scottish-American.
ALAN CUMMING

Country Hear Odd State
I started to itch to do a play again and ‘Macbeth’ came to the surface in my mind. I never thought I would do it in a conventional way. A sweaty Macbeth with blood on his arms coming in fresh from the battle doesn’t interest me.
ALAN CUMMING

Again Came Itch Mind Start Surface
With Urban Secrets, I just really liked the idea of wandering around chatting to people.
ALAN CUMMING

Around Chat Idea Like People Really Street Urban Winder
Pantomime is a big thing in the cultural calendar of my country, you know. So subtlety’s not my forte.
ALAN CUMMING

Big Calender Country Culture Forte Know Pantomime Subtitety Thing
Kids are more genuine. When they come up and want to talk to you, they don’t have an agenda. It’s more endearing and less piercing to your aura.
ALAN CUMMING

Agenda Come Genious Kid More Talk Up Want
I had to be a grown-up when I should have been a little boy, and now that I’m a grown-up my little-boyness has exploded out of me. I’ve lived my life backwards.
ALAN CUMMING

Backward Boy Explode Grown Life Little Live Out Up
When there’s an adult person who’s scaring you, you grow up pretty quickly.
ALAN CUMMING

Adult Grow Person Pretty Quickly Scare
A sweaty Macbeth with blood on his arms coming in fresh from the battle doesn’t interest me.
ALAN CUMMING

Arm Battle Blood Come Form Fresh Interest People Sweet
It is actually important to do songs they’re familiar with. Also, I love those songs. In a way, I think I’ve changed people’s perceptions of what a cabaret show like this could be.
ALAN CUMMING

Actually Change Familiar Important Perception Snow Song Way
Usually, there’s a story I’ve told that leads up to why I’m singing the song. The whole concept of the show was about being authentic and connecting with these songs. The best way to do that was in a room with an audience and for people to listen to that.
ALAN CUMMING

Lead Sing Song Story Told Usually
You should *have* an experience; it shouldn’t just *be* an experience.
ALAN CUMMING

Experience Have Should
I was horrified when Richard Chamberlain and Rupert Everett said gay actors should stay in the closet. They were saying to people that they should live a lie and not be liberated, to live in fear of being found out.
ALAN CUMMING

Actor Closet Horrify People
I was so scared of going back to the theatre after Hamlet. I didn’t know if I’d do a play again because I was afraid of the power of it.
ALAN CUMMING

Afraid Again Back Go Hamlet Know Power Scare Theatre
There are some days when you don’t feel like being Alan Cumming.
ALAN CUMMING

Bring Cuming Feel Same Day
You could then, when you lay that as the groundwork, say, “Here I am. This is what I think. I come in peace.” Then you’re able to push out, to be able to talk about more things. And that’s been a really heartening thing about my life, actually.
ALAN CUMMING

Able Groundwork Peace Push Really Talk Think
I’ve actually found – especially doing my cabaret show – I’m connecting with people in a way I haven’t connected with them. I’ve found that when you’re open and honest, people respond to that, whatever you’re being open and honest about.
ALAN CUMMING

Actual Cabaret Connect Done Especial Found People Show Way
You do get really exhausted doing films. You work such long hours, and after a while, things can get out of perspective, just like if anyone’s tired, things get on top of them.
ALAN CUMMING

After Can Do Exhaust Film Hour Long Perspective Really Thing While Work
Working with good people is always good.
ALAN CUMMING

Always Good People With Working
I’m quite good, though I say it myself, at making strangers feel at ease.
ALAN CUMMING

Feel Ease Good Make Myself Quite Say Stranger
I love a film where I get squished by two dumpsters or I fly through the air.
ALAN CUMMING

Air Dumpster Get Love Squish
I wouldn’t do my roles if I really hated it. I’ve done things I hated, but I didn’t go into them thinking I would hate them. I want to have fun. I don’t want to go to work and not enjoy it.
ALAN CUMMING

Done Fun Hate Really Role Thing Want

I like the tragedies way more than the comedies because they’re so universal.

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I like the tragedies way more than the comedies because they’re so universal.

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Popular Authors

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