The writing is really hard. You're alone. It really pulls it out of you. You pull it out of your head. But when you're a director you're shopping - you're picking this actor you're picking this scene. It's like the most intense kinetic high-speed shopping of all time. You sit in a chair and it will all come rushing at you like a wind tunnel.

On the stage you alone hold the key and on the night you have to trust that the director has inspired you enough to take the material and run with it.

In my cranky old age I actually prefer recording alone now on 'The Simpsons ' for example because I find that the director can just focus on what I'm doing and I can do a lot of variations. A lot of times when I record with a group I'll stay after class for another hour or two.