Garry Hynes Quotes

Powerful Garry Hynes for Daily Growth

About Garry Hynes

Garry Hynes (born March 16, 1951) is an acclaimed Irish theatre director, playwright, and producer who has significantly shaped the landscape of Irish theatre through her groundbreaking work with women's voices and stories. Born in Corofin, County Clare, Hynes was raised in a family deeply rooted in traditional Irish music. Her love for the arts blossomed early, leading her to study at University College Galway. After graduation, she joined Druid Theatre Company, where she would eventually become Artistic Director, setting a new standard for gender equality in theatre by ensuring that half of the company's productions were written by women. One of Hynes' most notable works is the world premiere of Brian Friel's "Dancing at Lughnasa" (1990), which was a critical and commercial success, winning the Olivier Award for Best New Play and being adapted into an Academy Award-nominated film in 1998. Her direction of "The Beauty Queen of Leenane" by Martin McDonagh (1996) also garnered international acclaim. In 2011, Hynes made history as the first woman to direct a Shakespeare production at the National Theatre in London with "A Midsummer Night's Dream." She has been awarded numerous honors for her contributions to theatre, including the BAFTA Fellowship (2017), the Helpmann Award for Best Direction of an Australian Production (2015), and the Legend Award from Ireland's National Youth Theatre. Hynes continues to push boundaries in Irish theatre, championing diverse voices and stories that resonate deeply with audiences worldwide. Her work serves as a testament to her commitment to creating art that reflects the complexities of human experiences.

Interpretations of Popular Quotes

"I think that theatre is a really powerful medium for change."

Garry Hynes' quote emphasizes that theater, as a form of art, holds immense power to bring about change. This is because it has the ability to engage, inspire, and challenge its audience in unique ways. By presenting stories that explore human emotions, societal issues, and ideas, theater can foster empathy, provoke thought, and ultimately inspire people to take action for positive change, making it a potent tool for social transformation.


"Theatre has always been a place where you can say things that are not said elsewhere."

This quote emphasizes the unique role of theater as a platform for expressing ideas, emotions, or perspectives that may not be readily acceptable or possible in other social contexts. Theatrical performances provide a safe space where artists can push boundaries, challenge societal norms, and encourage empathy and understanding through storytelling. Essentially, it's a place of freedom, innovation, and reflection, which makes it an essential part of cultural dialogue and personal growth.


"When I direct a play, my job is to make it come alive as if it's happening right now."

Garry Hynes suggests that her role as a director is to bring a play to life in such a way that it feels like it's unfolding in the present moment. This means creating an authentic, immediate experience for the audience, ensuring that each performance is engaging, immersive, and resonates with the audience as if they were witnessing a real-life event rather than a staged production.


"I think we have an obligation to use the stage to hold up a mirror to society and to challenge its assumptions."

Garry Hynes' quote underscores the power and responsibility that theatre artists have in reflecting society and challenging societal norms and beliefs. By creating art that mirrors reality, they offer audiences a chance to critically examine their own world, fostering empathy, understanding, and growth. The stage serves as a platform for questioning assumptions, stimulating debate, and ultimately driving social change. It's a powerful tool in the pursuit of progress and inclusivity.


"The best actors are those who can live truthfully under imaginary circumstances."

Garry Hynes' quote emphasizes the importance of authenticity in acting, suggesting that the most effective actors are those who can convincingly portray characters in fictional situations while maintaining an emotional honesty and realism. In other words, great actors have the ability to create vivid, believable performances by fully immersing themselves in their roles and responding genuinely to the imagined circumstances of the story.


The English playwrights of the '50s and '60s didn't really keep writing or getting produced, while the Irish did. There's encouragement for the younger ones also in the fact that Ireland is exceptional in its ability to make theater part of the national dialogue, and it reaches to all four corners of the country.

- Garry Hynes

Fact, Country, Part, Ireland

As far as Irish writers being great, I think the fact that there have been two languages in Ireland for a very long time; there has obviously been a shared energy between those two languages.

- Garry Hynes

Think, Very, Shared, Ireland

The odd thing about 'Cripple of Inishmaan' is it's never actually been performed on the island.

- Garry Hynes

Never, Been, Actually, Odd

I think women are in much the same place in the Irish theater as they are everywhere else. Certainly, we have wonderful Irish writers, and we have quite a number of Irish women directors. But there could be more, and there should be more.

- Garry Hynes

Think, I Think, Certainly, Women Are

I still get called 'a stick of dynamite' or 'pint-sized dynamo,' stuff like that. Actually, I was too busy to notice there was anything unusual about being a woman director until the early 1980s, when I looked around the professional theater and realized there weren't many of us. You have to make more of a case for yourself than any man.

- Garry Hynes

Woman, Around, About, Dynamite

I had spent time in New York, where I loved the idea that theater could be done up in tiny little rooms rather than for lots of money on a big stage, and be tied to ordinary life.

- Garry Hynes

Big, Rather, Rooms, Ordinary Life

Plays by people like Martin McDonagh and Brian Friel attract huge audiences, not because they're Irish, but because they're brilliant plays.

- Garry Hynes

Brilliant, Like, Plays, Brian

My father, Oliver Hynes, was an educator. He was originally just a teacher, a very good one, but then he was promoted to be in charge of education for the entire area. He was always an inspirational teacher. He was my big personal supporter, always coming here for the Tony Awards. My mother, Carmel, was a homemaker.

- Garry Hynes

Big, Here, Very, Oliver

I wouldn't call myself religious. I'm spiritual. Everybody's a bit more so as you get older. I'm a cultural Catholic; it's inescapable, but I think I have to believe.

- Garry Hynes

Think, Everybody, Religious, Catholic

I remember thinking, 'I can't act.' Pretending to be someone else is a terrifying thought. The thing was that, along with other people, I could create a whole world. I felt absolutely right directing.

- Garry Hynes

I Remember, Terrifying, Directing

I was born in Ballaghadreen, but I grew up in Galway, and when I went to the University College of Galway, I became involved in the drama society there and started directing plays.

- Garry Hynes

College, Became, Plays, Directing

I was the first woman to win a Tony for directing, but the second woman came along five minutes later.

- Garry Hynes

Woman, Later, Tony, Directing

I think I'm attracted to writers who tell us something about ourselves.

- Garry Hynes

Think, Tell, I Think, Attracted

There wasn't anyone in my family who was involved in the theatre. I saw a few amateur plays when I was growing up, but I can't think of anything that happened or anybody in particular who inspired me; it all came from within.

- Garry Hynes

Theatre, Anything, Anybody, Amateur

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