In Zápisky z tranzice, acclaimed Czech theatre director Daniela Špinar opens her private journal to the public, and with it, her soul. This deeply personal book chronicles a three-year journey of gender transition, capturing the physical, emotional, and spiritual transformation of one of the Czech Republic’s most celebrated theatre artists. What emerges is a raw, courageous, and moving reflection on identity, love, and resilience. Daniela Špinar’s career has long been defined by boldness.
A graduate of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, she quickly rose through the theatrical ranks, staging acclaimed productions in regional and Prague theatres. Her rendition of Vojcek at the Theatre in Vinohrady became a landmark moment, and she later collaborated with the avant-garde company Letí. Her artistic achievements culminated in her appointment as Artistic Director of the National Theatre Drama in 2015, the fourth person to hold the post after the Velvet Revolution. There, she not only directed classic works but also authored her own dramatizations and innovative text collages. Yet Zápisky z tranzice reveals a different kind of bravery, more intimate and vulnerable than anything onstage. In October 2021, at the age of 42, Daniela experienced a profound realization: she was a woman. What followed was a turbulent period of self-discovery, public coming-out, and transition.
The book opens with this moment of reckoning and unfolds through diary entries that trace her emotional landscape during this time. With stunning clarity and unapologetic honesty, Špinar writes about the support and love she received from many, as well as the rejection and misunderstanding that came from others. She reflects on everything from dating and loneliness to body dysphoria and joy, offering a deeply human perspective on what it means to live authentically. Beyond her own experiences, the book serves as a broader reflection on society’s treatment of trans people in the Czech Republic and a window into the queer community’s joys and struggles.
Her words challenge norms and prejudices but also extend a hand to those on similar paths, whether they are trans, queer, or simply searching for themselves. What makes Zápisky z tranzice so affecting is Daniela’s literary voice, poetic yet grounded, theatrical yet sincere. Her theatrical background lends itself to moments of drama, yes, but also to striking imagery and a sense of narrative rhythm that keeps the reader engaged from the first page to the last. In a world still learning how to embrace trans voices, Zápisky z tranzice is more than a memoir, it’s a manifesto of courage, an invitation to empathy, and a testament to the transformative power of truth.
Daniela spoke about these very themes in her 2025 interview for The Heroines of My Life, where she reflected on her theatre years, her transition, and the liberating power of storytelling. There, she reminded us that her productions were not rehearsals for her coming out, but escapes into a world where gender did not limit her. The book, like her words in that conversation, is both intimate and universal, showing that authenticity, however difficult, is always worth it. Daniela Špinar has already left a legacy on Czech stages. With this book, she leaves an equally powerful mark on the heart.
Available via martinus.sk
Photo by Dorota Franková via Heroines of My Life
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