An online date with a stranger is scary by default: you both don't know what to expect. Chitacle offers a format in which the fear goes away in a minute: the play takes over the first words and becomes a shared support.
What people fear on a date with a stranger
- That there won't be anything to talk about.
- That the interlocutor will turn out to be silent.
- That the conversation will break down after five minutes.
- That you'll turn out not to be who you imagined yourself.
- That silence will be perceived as failure.
All these fears are born from one point: there's no shared reason to speak. When there's only the two of you between you, any silence is judgmental.
What the play changes
On Chitacle a text finds itself between you. Not a conversation about the weather, not "tell me what you do," but a ready-made play — a short duologue for two characters. You simply read it. With your voice, by roles, in turn.
Silences disappear: even pauses between lines become the play's pauses, not yours. Nobody is guilty for the silence — it's a score, not a defect of conversation.
How this is arranged technically
1. Register at play-read.online — email and a checkbox. 2. Chitacle picks a partner of the opposite sex. 3. Five minutes before the meeting — a link to the stage. 4. At the appointed time the curtain parts. You see each other. The play's text is visible only in your role. 5. You read for 30–40 minutes. After — stay to talk or say goodbye.
What will come of it
- How the other person sounds. You'll learn their voice — calm and excited.
- How they are silent. You'll learn the shape of their pauses.
- What they notice in someone else's text. You'll learn their attention and taste.
- Perhaps — you'll both be surprised how quickly this stopped being "a date with a stranger."
Frequently asked questions
What is Chitacle?
An online theater for two: two people read an original play by roles over video call, right in the browser. 200+ original plays and monoplays — freely distributed under CC BY 4.0. Interface in five languages.
How do I get the play text as a file?
Write to chitacle.online@gmail.com with the play's title — we'll send you the file. You learn the title during your meeting in the theater.
On what terms can I use Chitacle plays?
All plays are freely distributed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0), perpetually and worldwide, with no rights claims. The only requirement — attribution to the author (Chitacle) and links to our resources.
Can I invite viewers to the meeting?
Yes, in all formats except instant matching. The viewer joins via a personal link. The same works for online supervision: a teacher, psychologist, or coach joins the student's or client's session as a viewer.
What languages does the interface support?
The Chitacle interface is in five languages: Русский · English · Español · العربية · 中文. The play repertoire is being translated and continues to grow.
How much does it cost?
Your first meeting is on us. After that — by individual meetings or a monthly subscription.
Legal side — Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) license.
Chitacle plays are freely distributed perpetually and worldwide, with no rights claims. You may copy, distribute, perform on stage, create derivative works, and use commercially. The only condition — attribution to the author (Chitacle) and links to our resources.
Your first meeting is on us
Leave email in the Dressing Room at play-read.online and check the "I want to be invited" box.
Your first meeting is on us.
Enter the theaterChitacle now speaks five languages — Русский · English · Español · العربية · 中文.
We did it quietly, but properly.