This show at Edinburgh Fringe should be on your must to do list, its also on in the middle of the day so you can have your lunch either side of it. Now that’s a win!
‘Don’t Call Me China Doll’ is the debut one-woman show by Diana Feng that explores the
intricacies of internalised racism and self-worth. A compelling exploration of identity,
discrimination, and progress, it prompts audiences to reflect on how and why East Asian
artists still face the same barriers as they did a century ago.
As she prepares for the audition of a lifetime—playing Anna May Wong in a biopic about
Hollywood’s first East Asian starlet—China Doll must confront and untangle the ingénue’s
legacy as she discovers astonishing parallels between them. Disdainful of Anna for
perpetuating the stereotypes she still fights to overcome, China Doll wakes up to find herself
magically transported to the 1930s in the body of the revered and reviled starlet. Over the
course of several nights, she discovers profound similarities in the ways they navigate love,
life, and identity as East Asian actors in the west.
Diana Feng brings a multifaceted talent to her performance in “Don’t Call Me China Doll.” An
accomplished actor, talented singer, and skilled martial artist, Feng’s portrayal combines a
powerful physical presence with great vulnerability, deep emotional resonance, and sharp
comic timing. Raw, honest, and fearless, Feng deftly manages heavy themes with surprising
levity and a large dose of self-deprecating humour.
Tickets available HERE