Play-Reading Therapy Online — Live Reading of Plays by Roles

Пьесотерапия работает через два психологических механизма, которые включаются одновременно. Проекция: клиент говорит не «я боюсь быть отвергнутым», а «герой боялся, что его не примут» — это даёт безопасное самораскрытие без прямого риска. Самораскрытие через интерпретацию: говоря о персонаже, человек неизбежно говорит о себе — кого считает правым, чего боится, что ценит. Терапевт получает много информации без прямого расспроса. После такой сессии возникает то, что в «ЧитаклЬ» называется эффектом закрытого занавеса — клиент готов продолжать разговор, и теперь уже о себе. Подробнее об эффекте закрытого занавеса →

What play-reading therapy is

Play-reading therapy is a variety of drama therapy in which a play written in advance becomes the tool. Participants act it out by roles, not for a viewer in the hall, but for the work itself: to live through an emotion that otherwise remains in the head.

In the Chitacle format neither a stage nor a director is needed. A play and a partner across from you are enough. Each takes their character — and speaks aloud in their lines. The shelter of the role removes the initial blocking: "the character goes through the same as I do" no longer stays in the head, but sounds through a live voice and a live partner.

Basic definitions — without confusion

• Drama therapy psychotherapy through drama, games, improvisation, and theater to explore emotions and relationships. It's a genus concept.
• Play-reading therapy a variety of drama therapy: participants act out or create plays to solve emotional problems. On Chitacle — without a stage and director.
• Bibliotherapy a method of mental-health support through reading fiction. Chitacle offers its live partner form through a play.

All three directions rely on one idea: the text becomes a mediator through which a person lives what's hard to speak out from oneself.

Scenario one: therapist-viewer

The therapist gives the client a Chitacle link. The client invites their partner, friend, or a second client — and the two of them read a play by roles. The therapist joins with a separate link as a viewer: sees and hears what's happening, but doesn't intervene in the process.

This gives a unique picture: the specialist observes the client's work in a natural form — how they react to the partner, where they freeze, where they go forward, where they defend. After the session — in-person work already with concrete material, not a retelling.

Scenario two: therapist-partner

The therapist reads with the client themselves — takes one of the roles and goes into the play together with them. This isn't observation from the side, but living through the material: you can regulate the pace, guide the intonations, stop where it hit.

In the hands of a practicing specialist, the play becomes a gentle but precise tool for working with emotional themes — relationships, crisis, farewell, passion. Chitacle has 200+ original plays written by a professional playwright — material under which the client's pace can be picked.

Who this format suits

• Psychologists and psychotherapists in individual practice. A tool for working with social anxiety, avoidance, difficulties in relationships, crisis of trust.
• Family psychologists and couples therapists. Joint reading of a play about relationships opens new facets of the partner — what isn't visible in ordinary conversation.
• Drama therapists and psychodramatists. Expansion of the arsenal: to improvisation and the stage, work with a ready-made original text is added.
• Drama therapy groups and studios. A closed group on Chitacle + selection of repertoire under its themes.
• Coaches in emotional work. Training of spontaneity, empathy, active listening through the shelter of the role.
• Psychology and drama therapy students. Practical material for learning sessions.

We don't make clinical claims and don't replace therapy — we offer a tool in the specialist's hands. The decision on the applicability of play-reading therapy in each case is up to the one working with the client.

What's in the repertoire

• 200+ original plays contemporary original dramaturgy.
• Plays for two for two performers: two male roles, two female roles, or mixed.
• Monoplays short original pieces for a single performer, not one-man shows. Used in the "Read to me" mode — for one-on-one work with immersion in the character's monologue.
• Themes. Relationships, crisis, passion, parting, encounter, farewell — what adult specialists work with.
• Genres. Drama, comedy, tragicomedy, melodrama, romantic comedy, black comedy, lyrical drama, thriller, science fiction, buffoonery, absurd, miniature… The specialist gets a variety of tonalities for work.
• Runtime. Plays for two 35–45 minutes, monoplays 20–25 minutes.
• Free CC BY 4.0 license. The texts can be received as a file at chitacle.online@gmail.com — for review with a supervisor. You learn the title during your meeting in the theater.

How to start work — step by step

• Step 1. Register on the main page — your first meeting is on us.
• Step 2. Choose the "Read with a friend" mode — create a private room and get an invitation link.
• Step 3. Send the link to the client (or the client sends it to you). Registration via the link.
• Step 4. If necessary — invite a third party as a viewer (supervising therapist, second specialist). Registration isn't needed for the viewer.
• Step 5. At the appointed time the curtain parts. The play opens simultaneously with the start — no preparation.
• Step 6. The play's text is seen only by the performers. The viewer sees and hears only them.

Frequently asked questions