Writer: Kaya Uppal
Director: Zarshaa Ismail
Writer Kaya Uppal’s Brown Girl Noise mashes up comedy sketches, polemic, verse, and spoken word to explore the attitudes and experiences of a diverse range of 20-something British South Asian women. Taking a bash at has-been Tory politicians feels a little redundant in the age of Reform UK, and a couple of the skits feel decidedly derivative. Still, it is hard to fault the exuberant, inclusive enthusiasm the quartet of performers bring to the piece.
Onomatopoeically titled actors Ring (Amrita Mangat), Hum (Ayesha Sharma), Clash (Kaya Uppal) and Whisper (Misha Domadia) are gathered in an audition room, trying out for the part of Priti Patel in a biopic. The casting is running an hour late, and the role on offer is about as desirable as “watching the end of Titanic over and over again”. Since there are no other roles available for Asian women (aside from a bit part as Suella Braverman), they might as well wait.
In between competitive bickering, the group decides that it would be nice to tell their own story for once, which they do over 12 loosely connected thematic “chapters”. Familiarity with Gen Z British Asian culture helps in accessing some of the send-ups. Still, many of the women’s experiences are universally recognisable, and Uppal shines a welcome light on the diversity of the UK’s Asian communities.
The preference some Asian parents have for sons is spoofed when a ‘gender reveal’ party sees the invitees emit a whoop of joy on being told the child is a boy, and deflated disappointment when it is a girl (“you must have sinned in a past life”, the mum-to-be is told). A parody of ‘Asian Love Island’ sees potential hook-ups chosen not for their glamour, beauty, or musculature, but on their religion, professional prospects, and lightness of skin tone. A more serious piece looks at the culture of silence in some Asian communities towards both sexual abuse and lesbian relationships, and the feeling of shame women sometimes have to overcome to talk about these issues.
A parody of the Kardashian clan (inevitably labelled “Meet the Kardash-Asians”) looks at cultural pressures to compete rather than cooperate. Has there ever been a sketch show that doesn’t do a parody of a David Attenborough nature programme? Expect a version here that explores the pros and cons of gossipy but kind “Aunties” in Asian communities. Brown Girl Noise is a likeable hour and a bit, and the performers succeed in making their ‘noise’ heard.
Runs until 28 September 2025
