Varvara Nikolaevna Asenkova was a Russian actress at the Alexandrinsky Theatre and one of the most prominent stage figures of the 1830s. Studied at the St. Petersburg Imperial Theatrical School but was expelled. She later studied under Ivan Sosnitsky. After her successful debut on January 21, 1835, Asenkova quickly gained public recognition and soon established herself as a regular in the troupe. Varvara Asenkova's name is associated with the rise of vaudeville in Russian theatre. She was particularly renowned for her roles as young heroines, as well as as young men and hussars. Along with her vaudeville repertoire, the actress also turned to dramatic roles. Among her most famous stage roles are Ophelia in “Hamlet”, Parasha in “Parasha the Siberian”, as well as Marya Antonovna in the first performance of “The Government Inspector” and Sophia in “Woe from Wit”. The Bakhrushin Theatre Museum collection contains portraits of Varvara Asenkova, as well as some of her belongings and letters.