Brown Sauce, the leading London-based monthly South Asian comedy club, and Tara Theatre, a pioneering home for South Asian and global majority artists in the UK are thrilled to announce that acclaimed comedian Nish Kumar will headline the second edition of The Comedy Lab evening showcase on Saturday, 18th October 2025 at Tara Theatre, with tickets for the showcase now on sale via the Tara Theatre Website.
Now in its second year, The Comedy Lab offers a free one-day workshop for aspiring South Asian comedians, followed by a public ticketed showcase where participants perform a five-minute set alongside Nish Kumar. Following last week’s submission deadline, the new cohort of performers will be announced later this month.

Nish Kumar, one of The Guardian’s and The Telegraph’s 50 Best Comedians of the 21st Century, known for his critically acclaimed Fringe shows, BBC Radio 4 series, and appearances on QI, Mock The Week, Taskmaster and as the host of The Mash Report, shared: “I am so excited to see the next cohort of South Asian comedians through the Brown Sauce x Tara Theatre scheme. I can’t wait to work with and be on a bill with them.”

Established in 2021, BROWN SAUCE is an exciting showcase charity night that champions and celebrates underrepresented South Asian comedic voices (as well as other Asian friends) in the industry. Known for its spicy, unfiltered humour that leaves audiences in stitches, the comedy night is hosted and curated by Bangladeshi, British, Canadian, and Muslim female comedian Sharlin Jahan in central London monthly, and features well-known acts and up-and-coming comedians. Past acts have included the likes of Eshaan Akbar, Shabaz Ali, Mark Silcox, Nish Kumar, Mawaan Rizwan, Sindhu Vee, Shazia Mirza, Atsuko Okatsuka, Ahir Shah, Ria Lina, Kiran Deol, Bilal Zafar, Fatiha El-Ghorri and Joshua Bethania.

Sharlin Jahan, comedian and founder of Brown Sauce, said: “Nish has been such an inspiration – having him headline this year’s showcase is – as we said in the 90s – hella dope! It may be that someone’s very first stand-up gig will be on the same bill as Nish – that’s the kind of opportunity we’re so proud to create.”

Producing work and providing a space for artists to grow for four decades, Tara Theatre is the UK’s longest running global majority-led theatre company. Exploring the world through a South Asian lens Tara Theatre creates innovative, politically charged theatre harnessing the power of co-creation.

Natasha Kathi-Chandra, Artistic Director of Tara Theatre added: “Tara Theatre has always been about creating a platform where bold, underrepresented voices can take centre stage – and what better way than through comedy? We can’t wait to see this exciting new cohort of South Asian comics step up and share the stage with the brilliant Nish Kumar. Expect punchlines, politics and loads of laughter!”

Successful applicants will be notified by Wednesday 20th September, and the workshop and showcase will take place on Saturday, 18th October.
Tickets for the evening showcase with Nish Kumar are on sale now via the Tara Theatre website: https://taratheatre.com/whats-on/the-comedy-lab-2025/