Deciding to be a comedian professionally is probably one of the bravest steps someone can take.
Some people are naturally funny, others are talented writers who have the skill to take a situation and focus in, give it a tweak and make it sound hilarious. From the many comedy acts I have been to, almost all comedians poke fun at their occupation in their set, and point out how poor they will be all their life. Brown Women Comedy, featuring four bold Indian and South Asian Australian comedians, did indeed broach this.
The first comedian, Niv Prakasam, extended this line of thinking and talked about her job as being someone who was simply carrying forward a family tradition, that of Generational Debt! I have heard other comedians talk about how disappointed their parents are, that they’re not a lawyer or a doctor earning the big bucks, but Niv swung this joke around with her Generational Debt take, and it was refreshing.
Niv spoke with the easy-going flow of a seasoned performer and was a wonderful opening act. I really enjoyed her stories about coming from a conservative country and how different Australia is from her home. She took this topic and brought a whole lot of different and amusing tales, some involving arranged marriages, what it means to hug, or hold eye contact with someone (that’s it, you’re now betrothed) and the audience reacted very well. Niv was able to incorporate the audience into her act, making them feel comfortable whilst talking to them.
Ramya Ranapriya followed and continued to make the audience laugh. In her set, she told stories about situations in her country. She talked about family (of course, the in-laws got a mention, but not even Grandma was spared!) and her dynamic views of the ever-changing world of becoming a mum reached the audience’s heart. Her stories from when she had a newborn and was bombarded by requests from everyone to meet her little one was relatable to many people – such as the endless stream of visitors (the quick look of the men visitors versus the delight of women visitors inhaling the scent of her baby) and was very funny. As was her take on how visitors brought money as gifts when they came – but I won’t spoil Ramya’s jokes by relating them.
Founder of Brown Women Comedy, Daizy Maan, followed Ramya. Her impressions of her friend’s friend made people laugh, and she cleverly circled back to this particular joke to close her set. Daizy told tales about her family, sharing some funny experiences ranging from her mum’s roti to awkward moments, which had the audience cringing in sympathy. One of the funny moments for me was something her mum said to one of Daizy’s friends, about her thighs! It is still quite an Asian thing for the older generation to comment about one’s weight, and this made the audience laugh.
To close the performance, Guneet Kaur came on, and brought another dimension to the show. She delivered her comedy set with a deadpan coolness, and this worked to bring out the joke’s meanings even more. Her stories about dating and being a racial chameleon were hilarious, as were some stories about dating, bisexuality and how lies can go wrong when making up a false family!
The four womens’ comedy acts were all different, with each comedian bringing another side of being a woman into the show. It was an all-rounded show, incorporating sexism, feminism and racism into 2025 and the modern Aussie world. If you feel like a break from the real world, a comedy show should whisk you away. Brown Women Comedy does just this – these ladies will whisk and stir up your funny bone and imagination, at least for an hour!
Brown Women Comedy was hosted at the Lennox Theatre inside Riverside Theatres in Parramatta and is part of the Sydney Comedy Festival.
Performances: 23 – 25 April 2025
Riverside Theatres. Corner Market and 353 Church St, Parramatta
Tickets: $44
www.riversideparramatta.com.au
