Don’t Call Me China Doll

‘Don’t Call Me China Doll’ is the debut one-woman show by Diana Feng that explores the intricacies of interalised 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 ingenue’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.