Vladimir Sabadash — May 4, 2026
“I was born with an enormous need for affection, and a terrible need to give it.”
This is how the GREAT actress Audrey Hepburn once described herself — and it is precisely the life of this remarkable woman that Adeline Gizatullina brought to the Vakhtangov Theatre’s Studio Stage in her production.
The play I Created Audrey Hepburn is exactly about this: two women — mother and daughter — unravel the tangled knot of a complicated family relationship. Elena Sotnikova’s portrayal of Audrey’s mother and Anna Chumak’s Audrey reveal a dynamic where one word — “prison” — spoken by the heroine herself, can describe what life with her mother felt like for the legendary actress.
“The story of the play grows out of the difficult and contradictory relationship between Audrey Hepburn and her mother, Baroness Ella van Heemstra. The production is based on real facts from the great actress’s biography, but the focus is not Audrey herself; rather, it is the woman behind her becoming who she was. What is true maternal love? Is it support or expectation? Acceptance or the desire to reshape someone? I ask these questions not as a researcher, but as a director searching for living truth in human relationships.
The world knows Audrey Hepburn as an actress, a style icon, and an Academy Award winner. But very few people know what she truly dreamed about. I believe this story will resonate not only with women. Men, too, will recognize themselves in these characters,” director Adeline Gizatullina told journalists while presenting the production.
The press performance unfolded in a single breath. The packed — though very small — auditorium applauded the actresses several times during the performance itself. And how could they not? Tears came to the eyes not only of the women among the journalists, but also to me — a gray-haired sixty-year-old cynic.
The way these two remarkable actresses perform inspires awe and admiration. Elena Sotnikova — extraordinarily talented, unique, and truly deserving of every honor attached to her name — delivers a masterclass in acting as Audrey’s mother. Young, beautiful, and gifted Anna Chumak proves to be a worthy counterpart to the celebrated Vakhtangov legend.
Their onstage “duel” deserves a place in theatrical history. Their artistry is a model to follow; the emotional range they embody is something that has to be truly lived. Their warmth and emotional honesty — at times pulling in opposite directions — become a balm for theatre critics and audiences alike.
Production team:
Director — Adeline Gizatullina
Production Designer — Elzar Abdrakhmanov
Costume Designer — Alexandra Vakhrushina
Lighting Designer — Alexander Matveev
Makeup Designer — Olga Kalyavina
Composer — Andrey Bulatov
Choreographer — Olga Logvina
Vocal Coach — Alexander Sazonov
Sound Designer — Ekaterina Volkova
Technical Support — Dmitry Lazarev
Assistant Director — Irina Gromova
The press screening took place on Audrey Hepburn’s birthday (May 4, 1929 – January 20, 1993), while the official premiere had been held on April 27, on the eve of actress Elena Sotnikova’s anniversary celebration.
Following the screening, Adeline Gizatullina spoke to members of the press about preparing the production, writing the play, the support she received from Rimas Tuminas, and how she developed the roles of the two leading women.
Elena Sotnikova separately asked journalists to note that she dedicates this performance to her mother. Meanwhile, her young co-star shared with heartfelt sincerity what the process of working on the production was like and what it meant to perform on the same stage as a leading actress.
After seeing the play and hearing from the director and its leading performers, one cannot help but ask: Is it ever necessary to reshape another person in your own image — even if that person is your child?
I Created Audrey Hepburn is essential viewing — and not only for those seeking an answer to that question. The production on the Vakhtangov Theatre’s Studio Stage is not really about Audrey Hepburn.
It is about every one of us.
Source: News-w.org / Vladimir Sabadash
Photos: Vakhtangov Theatre Press Office