DON'T CALL ME CHINA DOLL Comes to Edinburgh Fringe

‘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.

About Diana

Diana Feng is an actor, singer and martial artist. Soon to be the first person to receive a PhD in Culturally Specific Performance Practice and British East and Southeast Asian Representation at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, Diana Feng is at the forefront of exploring and challenging the cultural narratives that shape our understanding of representation in entertainment. She is also a co-founder of WWWC, a non-hierarchical creative collective dedicated to fostering creativity and uplifting marginalised voices. Through her writing and performance, Feng is known for crafting compelling narratives that are both innovative and deeply necessary, pushing the boundaries of theatre to make space for important, often overlooked stories.

Don’t Call Me China Doll will be performed at 12:55pm at Underbelly Bristo Square from 31st July - 26th August 2024.