Miracles of Friday Evenings: DIALOGICAL ACTING / PART 1
We continue the conversation between Hana Sršňová and Erika Merjavá at a shared table, exploring questions of how children perceive the world, the search for identity, Vyskočil’s dramatic pedagogy, and the ways in which children’s perception, education, and drama can resonate with adults, society, and the wider world. It is a space full of questions, where small miracles may also appear. This time, the topic is: Dialogical Acting with the Inner Partner.
How would you describe Dialogical Acting to someone who has never experienced it?
Dialogical Acting was developed by the psychologist, theatre practitioner, and educator Ivan Vyskočil after years of exploring free dramatic play. He was fascinated by children’s play and sought to understand what makes it so unique—what we gradually lose as we grow older, and how it might be regained in adulthood. How can we once again become conscious, active explorers of life? Dialogical Acting is a discipline rather than a method or a technique. It does not teach, train, or place demands on performance. Instead, it creates space for a personal, psychosomatic experience—one that connects body and mind in both directions. In practice, we find ourselves in an empty space, meeting ourselves and an inner partner with whom we attempt to engage in dialogue. It is a form of play. Through playfulness and openness, a person can discover joy, freedom, and a broader perspective. At its heart, it is about exploration, awakening interest and curiosity, and rediscovering the genuine, inquisitive childlike way of looking at the world.
Why does Dialogical Acting take place in an empty space?
Because a person cannot rely on any props and finds themselves in an empty space, they are more likely to encounter their own authenticity. There is nowhere to hide, nothing to lean on or be supported by. The only thing they can rely on is themselves and their inner tension. But to discover it, one must slow down. Awareness arises through slowing down. In an empty space, a person comes into contact with their own uncertainty, fear, and not-knowing. No impulses are coming from outside; they do not know what to do next or where their actions will lead. They may feel awkward, exposed, or insecure. Through this experience, they learn to withstand themselves, to be patient with themselves, and to wait until something genuinely emerges.
Why are the presence of others and an audience important in Dialogical Acting? Why isn't it enough to practise it alone at home?
It is important that the person working is physically alone in the space, but at the same time observed by an audience. In Dialogical Acting we call this attentive presence—a kind, receptive attention. The audience is made up of the other participants who are watching the work and later take turns being in the space themselves. By watching, they act as a mirror for the person working, offering a form of feedback. The presence of others creates a certain pressure. How do you work with impulses, not-knowing, embarrassment, mistakes, and fear under this pressure? It is very different from practising alone at home, for example in a bathroom. There, the sense of pressure is absent. But maintaining authenticity under the gaze of others is much more demanding. Another important aspect of Dialogical Acting is kindness—being kind both to oneself and to the other participants.
You talk about kindness. I often notice that in Dialogical Acting, the person working can end up arguing with themselves, with their inner partner. Jak to?
It can happen that the inner partner starts to scold us, telling us we are stupid or that we cannot do something. We all carry inner conflicts within ourselves. How do you respond kindly to someone—or play with someone—who is not kind to you, or who does not want to play at all? How can you awaken kindness in your inner partner, and spark in them a desire to play? In Dialogical Acting, a person gradually develops a condition for kind play: the ability to approach oneself with an outstretched hand and not pull away. One learns to communicate, not to drown oneself out, not to shout. Because when we shout, we do not hear ourselves—we are no longer in dialogue, we are trying to overpower the other. Ivan Vyskočil often used to say that we should not shout at ourselves, but rather touch ourselves gently, even praise ourselves. For him, kindness was a crucial principle.
Have you noticed any recurring elements that appear in Dialogical Acting across different participants? For example, that those working start to become more aware of their own their feet, or that they start clapping, whistling...
We often act through rhythm—stamping, clapping. Clapping, for example, can be an attempt to awaken one’s inner partner. It is important to notice this and ask: why am I clapping? To explore it further. Or we might notice our posture or gesture—for example, that we are hunched over. Why is that? Perhaps we are lacking energy in that moment, or feeling uncertain or withdrawn. Our body reveals how we are feeling. Often, those working are not even aware that they were moving in rhythm, or that they were drawing something in the air with their hand. Through any small movement, the inner partner manifests itself, trying to come into expression. And when we become aware of it, we can begin to understand what it is trying to communicate.
It seems to me that often one inner partner is more dominant, while the other is more restrained and tends to submit. How can we deal with this so that no inner conflicts arise?
Everything can be brought into play. It is important to notice things, because only then can I work with them. It is not therapy or deep psychoanalysis. It is simply about observing what is happening within us. Only then can I act consciously and actively participate in everything that is unfolding. I notice impulses, but I do not remain passive. I take them into play and develop them. I am active and responsible for my own actions. It depends on me.
Is it important for children to hear that they matter?
Very much so. Because it teaches the child that they can influence the world—whether in a positive or a negative sense. They learn that they are important and that they can change things, which helps them become more self-confident. At the same time, they become aware that their actions can have a significant impact, and this leads them to become more responsible and more humble.
Asked by Hana Sršňová, answered by Erika Merjavá.
To be continued in the next issue
