Audience Members Who Attended This Play Demand Refunds After Chinese Actress Zhou Dongyu Allegedly Read Lines From Teleprompter

Seems like Chinese actress Zhou Dongyu's foray into theatre isn't off to a good start.

Recently, the 34-year-old actress sparked backlash following her debut stage play, Wencheng, an adaptation of a novel by Chinese author Yu Hua.

During the play's June 17 premiere at the Aranya Theater Festival, Dongyu was accused of being almost completely unprepared.

The actress is the youngest winner of the "Three Golden Awards" — the Golden Horse Awards, Golden Rooster Awards, and Hong Kong Film Awards.

According to attendees, her eyes rarely left the teleprompter from the opening scene. Later in the performance, she reportedly held a printed script and read directly from it.

Even then, she made several mistakes, at one point blurting out: "Oh no, I said the wrong line," before laughing on stage.

Her perceived lack of preparation sparked widespread online criticism and a wave of refund requests. Ticket prices ranged from 480 yuan to 1,280 yuan (S$89 to S$238).

Some even mocked the production as nothing more than a "dress rehearsal with makeup".

In the second half of the performance, the play's director, Chen Minghao, and lead actor, Duan Yihong, also reportedly appeared with scripts in hand and read their lines, leading audience members to question whether the production had been adequately rehearsed.

"Wencheng — I advise everyone to get a refund!" one viewer then snarked online.

Others complained that the production was "all form and no substance", questioning why audiences should pay 880 yuan (S$168) to watch what felt like a rehearsal.

Another commented: "[Dongyu] recited the lines without any emotion, got them wrong, and then simply giggled and said 'oh sorry' without the slightest apology. Could making money get any easier than this?"

Some critics even claimed there were as many as 50 mistakes throughout the performance.

The director, however, defended the production, explaining that the actors were never expected to memorise their lines.

He also argued that the approach was part of an experimental theatre style, though most audience members remained unconvinced.

As negative reviews continued to spread and refund requests mounted, even Dongyu's Weibo account was flooded with critical comments.

"Money comes too easily for you," one commenter wrote.

Another chastised: "Can you please improve your professional skills? This is not how an actor should work."

As of now, neither Dongyu nor her studio has issued an official response.