The master thesis attempts to characterise the staging poetics of Miroslav Macháček, one of the most remarkable Czech theatre directors of the second half of the 20th century. Based on his stage works in the 70's and 80's at the National Theater, the author of this thesis attempts to make a reconstruction of all his productions of that period; and thus the detailed analysis of the more significant productions characteristic to the director's style is provided. In order to define the stagings, the author bases her research upon archival theater reviews and studies in particular periodicals, photographical materials from the productions and in some cases also audiovisual recordings. Furthermore, other sources include the director's correspondence, notes about his work and the memories of his contemporary witnesses. The thesis also focuses on the historical context and the conditions at the National Theater of that particular time, which influenced Macháček's activity there.

Controversy over the Nature of Dramatic Text This thesis will attempt to identify the nature of dramatic text in the context of two art forms: literature and theatre. It will investigate the changes which dramatic text undergoes when staged while also thematizing the relationship between the textual and other aspects of works of drama. The thesis will be primarily based around Czech theatre aesthetics of the twentieth century and will attempt to map and reflect on the theoretic discussion on this subject. At the same time it shall observe how these theoretic attitudes are reflected in dramatic texts themselves and in scenic practice of Czech theatre of the twentieth century.