Know the Name

Too often, the most talented actors and actresses struggle and wait for recognition that never comes. have to struggle and wait for their recognition. But for Anna May Wong, a silent film star whose accomplishments have long gone unrecognized, the time to shine is finally here.Anna May Wong is the subject of China Doll, a play by Elizabeth Wong currently being put on by the Pan Asian Repertory Theatre. Directed by Tisa Chang, BC ’63, the play tells the life story of Wong (Rosanne Ma), a Chinese actress who fought against the currents in both society and Hollywood. Born in 1905 as Wong Liu Tsong, she aspired to fame at a time where the odds were against her as an Asian actress. Adopting her glamorous screen name and fighting the stereotypes that stood in her way, Anna May Wong proved that she had both the talent and the drive to succeed. But the play is not only Anna May’s story; it also introduces the stories of other people who played important roles in the actress’s life. There is her father (Jackson Ning), caught between his disappointment at his daughter’s unorthodox ways and his wish to see Anna succeed, and her supportive mother (Ruth Zhang). There are her two love interests, the film legend Gary Cooper (Michael Scott) who will not marry her nor be seen in public with her, and Douglas Fairbanks (Jamie Cummings) who is less concerned with conventional opinion. There is her makeup artist Max (Peter Von Berg), who teaches her tricks of the trade and stands beside her throughout her career.The play opens with an eccentric Anna May Wong who has not had a part in years. She is lonely, and enjoys the company of Irving Thalberg (Robert Wedig), the student with whom she boards. For the first time in a long time she is excited. She has a part and is planning on making her return in the film production of Flower Drum Song. Though her part is small—a single sentence—she is proud to have been asked to participate in the first all-Asian cast of a film, since she has spent years watching American and European actors become Asian alongside her, often stealing parts from her. One scene in particular illustrates this, in which she educates an inept American actress on how to play an Asian. Beneath the overt humor of the scene—she shows this girl how she should kill herself—it shows the shocking truth of what Wong had to face: an industry that brought her ever closer to fame without ever letting her actually taste it.China Doll incorporates the films she worked on into the script, showing Anna May Wong shooting her first big role as a slave girl in The Thief of Baghdad. She is portrayed as a blossoming actress in this role: the audience sees an awkward teenager, willing to show skin to land the part, but at the same time unsure of how to put on her costume and nervously hoping to kiss her director. The play quickly progresses, showing how this teenager becomes a star, and how that star becomes a lonely middle-aged woman.China Doll enjoys an intimate production at the West End Theatre on the second floor of the Church of St. Paul and St. Andrew. The small space suits the story and takes the audience quickly into the life of this remarkable woman. The play’s intimacy is also expressed by a small stage with few props; frequently they must be imagined in the actors’ hands. This simplicity allows the focus to remain on the actors and the parts they play, especially in the case of Ma who does an excellent job of portraying Wong. This atmosphere allows the audience to observe the different stages of her life, fluidly moving between different times. The splendid production and skilled performances finally give Wong the recognition she never had.