He ended his argument by saying: "I believe it's a pretence.
It is its pretence simultaneously at calm and radical change.
Speak if this be pretence!" is just one of the many choice phrases that, somehow, this assured cast is able to make sound natural.
"It's purely a pretence that Britain is an independent nuclear power.
"People ram revolution at us – it's a complete pretence," Roberts adds.
Freaky though the music may be, it's delivered without pretence as Byrne tackles the subject of – cue the worst word of modern times – "curating" London's Meltdown festival.
It is without pretence or pretensions.
But now it is this pretence that is a lie.
But it was his pretence to be a millionaire art buyer that finally led to jail for the conman when he attempted to swindle the auctioneers Christie's out of more than £1m worth of French masterpieces.
Writing in the Sunday Times, Mr Fox hit out at the prime minister, arguing "it is time to end the pretence" Europe is moving in Britain's direction.
