There’s no environment. Use your imagination. There’s no fourth wall, whether it’s the first time you’ve told this story about her life, or the sixth time.

Clayburgh’s remark frames acting as an exercise in imaginative truth-telling rather than reliance on physical sets or conventional theatrical boundaries. By insisting “there’s no environment,” she emphasizes that the actor must generate the world internally—through sensory recall, intention, and responsiveness—so the scene feels lived-in even on an empty stage or a minimal set. “There’s no fourth wall” suggests a directness and permeability between performer and audience (or scene partner), where the actor cannot hide behind illusion or routine. The reference to telling “this story… the first time… or the sixth time” underscores the professional challenge of repetition: each performance must feel newly discovered, not mechanically reproduced.