Dressing up for a slice of fame

Mini-drama experiences at China's 'Hollywood' draw visitors seeking entertainment beyond conventional sightseeing

CHINA/ HENGDIAN:

HENGDIAN, CHINA

Visitors to China's sprawling Hengdian World Studios are finding a new way to experience the country's film industry: dressing up as emperors, empresses and palace conspirators to star in their own mini-dramas on professional film sets.

Known as "China's Hollywood", the eastern Chinese studio complex, where many of the country's period dramas are filmed, has opened its elaborate sets to tourists willing to pay for a taste of stardom.

In one palace chamber, four women dressed in silk robes and jade hairpins acted out a court intrigue, complete with a slap across the face. After the director called for another take, the performers gathered around their phones, laughing. They were friends who had travelled more than 1,500 kilometres to make their own production.

The studio has expanded into experiential tourism, allowing visitors to shoot scenes against elaborate backdrops, including replicas of Beijing's Forbidden City and old Shanghai streets used in professional productions.

Since the experience was launched in August, more than 2,000 people have participated, according to Hengdian, with bookings filled on most days, particularly weekends and holidays. "During the National Day holiday, I shoot from morning until dark, and there are still guests we can't fit in," said Wang Weili, a director who once filmed 20 groups in a single day.

The attraction reflects a broader shift in Chinese consumer spending, as a slowing economy and prolonged property slump weigh on purchases ranging from luxury goods to household furnishings. Spending on travel, entertainment and experiences, however, has remained resilient, supporting demand for immersive attractions such as live-action role-playing games, historical re-enactments and interactive film shoots.

For 388 yuan ($55) per person, visitors receive professional hair and makeup, costumes, a 30-minute directed shoot and a 90-second edited video. They can choose from more than 20 scripts, most centred on palace intrigue, romance and betrayal.

"When I was a kid, I loved playing director and getting the other children to act out scenes," said Clare Huang, who played an empress in her group's production. "I've always enjoyed this kind of thing, so today a few of us girls get to see what it feels like," she added.

Another visitor, 28-year-old influencer Xie, travelled to Hengdian after watching videos of the experience on social media. She paid 498 yuan ($70) for a solo performance based on an original script. "We don't have proms in China, so now people go out in costume instead," she said. "Everyone is willing to dress up a bit more boldly and show themselves in the best way they can."

For Hengdian, the venture offers tourists more than a glimpse behind the scenes of China's television industry. It allows them to step into the roles, costumes and elaborate settings usually reserved for professional actors, turning a visit to a film studio into an experience of their own.