• 1h 23m
• Premiere 2024

I will return

Golden Gate Theater

I Will Return by the Zoloti Vorota Theatre is a tragicomedy for adults about children forced to grow up in the midst of war.

The story follows teenagers from the Kherson region of Ukraine who, instead of spending a carefree summer by the sea, find themselves in a Russian-controlled camp. For eight months, they are separated from their homes and families, with no answer to the question of when—or whether—they will ever return. Yet even in captivity, they refuse to lose their spirit. They find ways to evade surveillance, call the hated Russian tricolour flag “Aquafresh,” disable cameras with a football, and write forbidden words on the walls.

This is a story about courage and hope. About children taken from Ukraine by Russia and their struggle to find a path to freedom. About dreams of returning home and embracing their loved ones. About fear and despair transformed into strength. Because as long as they keep fighting, hope remains alive.

The premiere took place on 23–24 August 2024. The performance includes a Russian-speaking character.