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‘I’m a great audience – I cry very easily’: Stephen Sondheim in his own words

In these extracts from interviews published in the Guardian and the Observer, the musicals maestro – who has died aged 91 – talks about rhyme, reviews and risk

People say I always write about such neurotic people. Well, tell me a Shakespeare play that isn’t about neurotic people. That’s what drama is. No problems, no drama. All works of narrative must have a point to do with the consequences of one’s action. If it turns out well it’s comedy; if badly, tragedy.”
July 1987

I like that twilight zone between what we call musicals and what we call opera. Song is the key word. I believe in songwriting.”
July 1987

I love treating words as if they were just counters on a table, to be moved around … I also like hiding rhymes, tucking them in the middle of lines where no one spots them. I don’t see it as subversive. What have you got to lose?”
September 1995

Every time I see A Little Night Music, I trudge in like a schoolboy to class. Then I’m always surprised by how much I like it. It never fails.”
March 2003

I’ve never thought for one minute: oh this line, oh this dissonance is going to turn this audience off. I’d better change it. Not once. That’s a fool’s game. To try to prejudge while you’re writing is a waste of time.”
December 2010

I’m a great audience. I cry very easily. I suspend disbelief in two seconds.”
December 2010

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from Culture | The Guardian https://ift.tt/3I0U9Vx
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