Maria Liman is already well known as an actress.

And now her play “Two Mothers”, in which she also acted as a director, staged at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, received high rating from critics.

After such success, Maria gave an interview where she talked about her creative path and plans for the future.

What inspired you to create the play “Two Mothers”?

I graduated from drama school on June 28, and on July 1 I opened my company “Liman Productions”. At that time, I had just divorced my husband, I had lived with him for quite a long time, but we did not have children and this made me think about the future and what it means to be a mother. I began to think about returning to Russia, about freezing my eggs and whether I would be able to carry a child myself or would have to turn to surrogacy.

At this time I met the famous actor and playwright Sean Prendegast. I wanted to write a play based on the real events that happened to my stage partner Louise Amos, but I needed help structuring the idea and formulating my thoughts. Sean was happy to help. We started discussing various topics, and eventually came to surrogacy. Sean noted that it would be interesting to build a dramatic story about how one woman carries another's child.

What were the main issues you wanted to address in your play?

We began to delve into the topic of motherhood, returning to my experience of divorce. Despite the fact that many stars now have children, for example, Alla Pugacheva and Philipp Kirkorov, I noticed that many people consider surrogacy dangerous.
For example, even if you use your own egg, the baby is carried by another woman, and she experiences all the physical sensations of pregnancy, feels the baby's movements. The question arises: is this ethically correct?

In countries where there are no clear contracts for surrogacy, such as England, it is illegal. Even if you use another woman's egg, it can be very difficult to prove your rights to the child in the future.

In the play, we also explored the theme of social pressure regarding motherhood. In Russia, and in general in the countries of the former USSR, there is a lot of pressure on women to have children. Even if you are 25 years old, you are told that it is time to give birth, it does not matter whether you have a partner or not.

I do not want to have a child just “because I have to”. For me, a child is the result of great love. I do not want the child to feel unloved or to become a victim of my troubles. In the play, we also touched on the topic of surrogacy and its impact on men. I heard from the audience that many men also face this topic and find a reflection of their experiences in the play.

What do you want viewers to take with them after watching the play?

First of all, I would like viewers to take with them knowledge about how children are born without the participation of partners. I want them to understand that there are different paths to parenthood, and that each person has the right to their own choice.

I would like people to have more respect for women who want to have children but do not have a partner, for single mothers and those who are left alone and do not want to have children, so that they understand that everyone has the right to their own choice and that it is important to treat others with understanding and respect, so that the knowledge gained from the play helps viewers more easily understand the decisions that women and men make in relation to parenthood. And, of course, I want viewers to laugh, experience some of their own feelings, sympathy, joy, and for the world to become brighter after watching the play. I believe that “Two Mothers” is a play that makes you think and change your attitude to important issues in life.

How did you decide to become an actress? What inspired you on this path?

I decided to become an actress when I was 4 years old, when I lived in Rostov. All the luxury I saw was only on movie screens. I didn't understand what acting was, but I was sure that the beautiful life was only in the movies. And I wanted this life!

True, I was able to choose the profession of an actress only in London, when I went to study at a drama school. There I understood that being an actress is, first of all, being yourself. We worked a lot on feeling our body, feeling our life, observing what is happening around us. Because it is important for an actor to understand what the character is saying, and to do this you need to stop your thoughts in your head and let the spirit of the character into yourself. Over the course of 5 years, I did deep work on myself.

In acting, it is important to play easily, like children do, transforming into different characters. To feel maximum freedom and just fool around.

I dreamed of becoming an actress, but I didn't like literature. I found reading boring. I only started learning to read in England, at a drama school. At first, I chose the profession of a model. I was invited to Moscow, where I started acting in films, but in small roles. I realized that in order to get a good big role, I needed a specialized education. And I came to London to study. I fell in love with the profession of an actress and now I often hear from people that I changed their lives. And I want to inspire people even more and change their lives for the better.

How do you expand your horizons in the performing arts? What are you interested in exploring?

I am planning to make two films. Right now, the topic of family relationships is very interesting to me. I have questions that I would like to explore. I have communicated with different people in England, and despite the difference in mentality, family problems are also present.

Another topic that interested me is “playboy model”. People still write to me that I am a “playboy model” despite the fact that I have been an actress for a long time. And I would like to make my next film under the name “I am not a playboy model”. I think it will be based on real events from my life and will be a comedy.

Which of your roles in film or on television is the most significant for you? Why?

I guess I was really happy when I was a host on FashionTV. I went to glamorous parties, met different designers, learned what Moscow does in the evenings, attended a lot of fashion weeks and presentations. It was a very interesting experiment in my life. Maybe when I return to Russia, I will work on Fashion TV again.

What does participation in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe mean to you

This means to make a name for yourself in England as an actress, not a “playboy model”, to reach a new level. After all, this is a serious production, and yesterday I received a loud assessment from a reviewer – “excellent”. This means a lot, since there are now more than 4,000 performances here, and it is not easy to receive such an assessment.

This is my first trip to England with this play. I direct, act and spend a lot of time on producing work, going to networking events and handing out flyers on the street

What are your plans for the future? What do you want to do in the theater?

I will go to the Brighton festival and do several performances in London. I want my performance to be seen by as many reviewers as possible. Perhaps, if I get more “excellent” assessments, I will be able to tour England and get more money to stage the performance on the main stage in London. The theme of the performance is really very interesting. I am also interested in cinema now, and I would make a film. But the script is more suitable for a play, and if it is rewritten for a film, it will be a wonderful comedy.