This thesis deals, in general, with the topic of theatrical experience of a young person, and examines everyday life influences on his artistic life and on the development of art within the person self. It poses questions and looks for answers to some of those questions in the specialist literature, or by deducing from personal experience.First, numerous influences that affect a person during his studies are presented, the importance of a person’s psychological profile, as well as his understanding of himself, and of the world around him. Later on, personal experience from professional carrier is described. I am disclosing character work in the DISK theatre and I am trying to find reasons for my feelings, both, good and bad, during the rehearsing processes, and the cause of my successes and failures. Acting, on stage as well as in front of the camera, is described from an unusual point of view, focusing greatly on details that are oftentimes overlooked.The new perspective from which I am trying to present acting and the life of an artist consists not only of the professional tools for mastering the craft - such as learning new parts, adopting the technical skills, etc. - but emphasizes humanity, underlines its importance, and searches for a threshold between professional and personal life of an actor.

This thesis is based on the author?s experience of directing J. Ford, Th. Dekker, and W. Rowley?s play The Witch of Edmonton (1621) in Divadlo DISK in February 2012 as a final performance in his Directing Master Studies at the Theatre Faculty. What is at stake in reviving such a little-known play of the Jacobean era, and performing it in Czech Republic? Can a text written as a reaction to a precise event (a real witch trial) and built as a quasi-documentary depiction of the society of the time, within the aesthetic codes of the time, be relevant material for a lively performance today? This thesis argues that yes, and that The Witch of Edmonton can actually be the starting point of what can be ?political theatre? in a form not only belonging to a long tradition of committed entertainment (the play?s prologue promising us ?mirth and matter?), but especially relevant to today?s audiences and artistic stakes. The first part of the thesis is a detailed contextual analysis of the play, the historical period in which it was written, the conditions of performance of the time, the material it is based on and the way it was dramaturgically built as ?political?. The second part focuses on the author?s analytical attempts to extract the text from its historical context, in particular through comparative history and history of ideas and using the concepts of Brecht?s epic theatre, depicting also how this research served as a preparation for the concept of his performance, a concept that is then explicated in detail. The third and last part is a short account and reflection about the rehearsal process and its outcome from the director?s point of view, making a final statement on the achieved practical work.

This Master Thesis describes the Expérience Grand-Guignol project, consisting on the one hand of research of the texts preserved in the Parisian Theatre Grand-Guignol (1897 – 1963) and on the other hand of a graduation performance in Theatre DISK which staged four plays from the repertory of this famous theatre of horrors. The Expérience Grand-Guignol project explored in practice various approaches to the historical material of Grand-Guignol placed in a contemporary context. It examined limits of the genre and methods of staging favorable to the Grand-Guignol experience today. The thesis is structured in three parts. The first part presents the Grand-Guignol theatre phenomenon, its history and theory compiled from accessible literature. The second part is dedicated to a detailed preparation and realization of the project. It presents four performed shows, including the overall set design and storyline, which provides the frame for the cycle. The last part presents a short reflection on fear as an effect of a theatre performance, a summary of observations from the practical examination, and an evaluation of project.

Dissertation evaluated present offers of free-time artistic activities for children and youth in Czech Republic. We will focus on pros and cons of these artistic workshops and individual elements of events like this. Main subjects of dissertation are project Kurzy NAPLNO and methods of leading workshops for actors. Kurzy NAPLNO origin in 2015 was based on bad experience with another artistic course. Project Kurzy NAPLNO are educative artistic workshops. Their objective is to share knowledge and experiences within drama, alternative or musical acting, film production, moderation and journalism. Kurzy NAPLNO celebrated 3rd year of its own existence during formation of this dissertation.