Howard Barker

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.

I'm not interested in observed reality.

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.

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

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

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

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