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.

‘Don’t Call Me China Doll’ is a one-woman show 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.

‘Don’t Call Me China Doll’ is not just a play; it’s a gut-punching, irreverent, critical cultural conversation that audiences need to witness. In a time when discussions of identity and representation are more urgent than ever, Diana Feng’s work offers a powerful lens through which to view our past and our present. This show is an essential experience for anyone interested in the future of theatre and the role of art in social change.