DHBZ301 Acting

Theatre Faculty
Winter 2026
Extent and Intensity
0/6/2. 4 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Aleš Bergman, Ph.D. (lecturer)
doc. MgA. Jana Štvrtecká - Kaločová (lecturer)
MgA. Eva Ventrubová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Igor Dostálek
Lukáš Rieger Dramatic Acting Department – Dramatic Acting Department – Dean’s Office – Theatre Faculty – Janáček Academy of Performing Arts
Supplier department: Lukáš Rieger Dramatic Acting Department – Dramatic Acting Department – Dean’s Office – Theatre Faculty – Janáček Academy of Performing Arts
Timetable
Tue 14:30–16:00 302, Wed 14:30–16:00 302, Thu 14:30–16:00 302
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
These hours with a small time allocation are meant to offer pedagogical support and professional consultation to acting students, who in their third year mostly perform in original student projects in dramaturgy and directing. The goal is to deepen and strengthen the connection between mind, emotions, and body, focusing on sensory, movement, and emotional memory, as well as developing work with impulses and stimuli and active analysis. Brechtian theater techniques: Learn the principles of Brechtian acting and how to apply them in contemporary theater and performance contexts. Develop the ability to consciously structure and modulate your own acting performance. Learn to work with distance, perspective, and role reflection. Practice storytelling skills as an acting discipline that connects character, personality, and narrative.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, the student will be able to: - apply and further develop their acting skills and abilities while working on a specific theatre project - engage in a creative dialogue with directors and integrate their own creative and interpretive potential into a specific project or collaboration Brechtian techniques: After completing the course, the student: understands the principles of Brechtian acting and can explain and practically apply them, can structure their acting performance and consciously choose acting tools according to the situation and theme, masters basic storytelling techniques and can connect them with acting action, is able to view their own performance from a broader perspective and give themselves feedback, and can work with the personal dimension of acting (authenticity vs. role).
Syllabus

  • The content of the classes flexibly responds to specific topics and potential problems that acting students encounter when working with students of dramaturgy and directing. Acting and movement etudes, exercises, and improvisation exercises may include repeating exercises and etude assignments from previous semesters as well as working with short texts.  
  • Introduction to Brechtian acting – epic theater, the alienation effect, the actor as a storyteller.  
  • Actor and role – distance, the actor’s dual consciousness (action and commentary).  
  • Techniques for addressing the audience – breaking the fourth wall, direct contact.  
  • Modulation of acting tools – voice, gestures, tempo, rhythm in the service of communication.  
  • Storytelling as an acting tool – narrative structure, punchline, working with time.  
  • Personal acting – authenticity, personal stance, self-reflection on stage.  
  • Connecting techniques – creating short storytelling and epic scenes.

Teaching methods
exercise, consultation
Assessment methods
continuous monitoring of the student's performance and analysis of the student's activity results, submission of the semester reflection
Language of instruction
Czech
Teacher's information
Course Content The course focuses on developing acting techniques based on Brechtian epic theater traditions and their expansion into contemporary forms of storytelling and personal acting. Emphasis is placed on the ability to consciously structure a performance, view it from a distance (alienation effect, „Verfremdungseffekt“), and adapt it modulatively to a specific situation and theme. Students work with principles of acting distance, narrative acting, the ability to address the audience, and reflect on their own stance toward the character and the topic. The teaching combines practical exercises, analysis of Brechtian and post-Brechtian methods, and their application in contemporary performative and narrative forms.
The course is also listed under the following terms Winter 2015, Winter 2019, Winter 2020, Winter 2021, Winter 2022, Winter 2023, Winter 2024, Winter 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.jamu.cz/course/difa/winter2026/DHBZ301