Igor Dostálek is a Czech actor, choreographer and teacher who specializes in the traditional Japanese theatre art of Kyogen. He is a prominent personality of the Small Kyogen Theatre in Brno, which has been performing classic Japanese farces in Czech translation for more than two decades. Dostálek studied acting at the Janáček Academy of Performing Arts in Brno, where he now teaches. His acting background goes back to his work in the Drama Club in Třebíč under the direction of Jaroslav Dejl. In the Little Theatre of Kyogen ensemble he works not only as a performer, but also as a translator, dramaturge and co-creator of productions. He participated, for example, in the plays Chained to a Pole and The Big Underwear, in which he was able to combine traditional Japanese acting with subtle humour close to the Czech audience. His approach to theatre is based on precise movement, formal discipline and respect for the original culture, but at the same time he brings theatre closer to the contemporary audience. In addition to his theatrical activities, he is also involved in pedagogy – at JAMU he teaches courses in movement education and stage expression with a focus on the physical discipline of traditional forms. He is also a radio presenter and has long been involved in the dissemination of Japanese theatre heritage in the Czech Republic. Under his co-leadership, in 2016, the Little Kyogen Theatre became the first foreign troupe to receive the award from Japan’s Hōsei University in Tokyo for its contribution to the popularization and preservation of the Kyogen genre. Igor Dostálek is thus one of the most prominent promoters of this exceptional artistic style in Central Europe.
