"The great innovation of Shakespeare was the literal breaking of this fourth wall. In the first performance of Hamlet, the actor playing Hamlet at the time I think it was Sir John Gielgud, burst through the wall shocking the audience and then delivering his famous soliloquy beginning with perhaps the most famous words from Shakespeare of all time: ‘It’s clobbering time.’"
— Judge John Hodgman on deciding whether ‘breaking the fourth wall’ is a valid device. (via thisistheglamorous)