Brown Noise

Reviewed by Mina Saeed

The vibe of Brown Noise is witty.

Walking into the venue, upbeat Desi music is playing, helping audience members to feel the tone of the show before it even begins. Then out of nowhere, one of the lead actors runs onto stage, telling the audience to be quiet while she takes a phone call from her mom. This again helps to begin the show: addressing the audience directly, setting up the comedy show vibe, and bringing up her family and culture. The show is very witty, as the two lead actors go back and forth between satirical stand-up comedy monologues and hilarious sketches. As a brown person myself, all the jokes about being brown were very timely and completely accurate, and it made the humour very relatable.

Additionally, both these actors were able to perform to the audience like it were a conversation, making the room feel very comfortable and light-hearted. Their comedic timing was on point, and the audience loved them. However, the show also covered important themes about being a brown person in a predominantly white-favouring world. Themes included struggles with cultural identity, dealing with familial expectations, and experiences with discrimination and racism. 

The way these actors mixed these themes into their humour was perfectly balanced, as to bring up moments that the audience found hilarious (regardless of ethnicity), whilst simultaneously making an important political statement. This is a unique approach to being political, and Brown Noise lands in a way that celebrates brown culture and simultaneously creates a safe space for all. 

Event Details

Mini Bar $8

Age Suitability: Parental Guidance (ages 13+)

Genre: Theatre—Comedy, Sketch Comedy/Improv

Run Time: 20 mins

Actor/Playwright/Producer

Medha Arora

Actor/Director/Producer

Rishabh Kalra

Warnings

Other

This show discusses themes of racism & xenophobia, and may include minor swearing.