"Every one of them brings a special zuzh"
London South Asian comedy club Brown Sauce and Tara Theatre have announced the eight emerging comedians selected for the third edition of The Comedy Lab.
Taking place on October 17, 2026, the event gives the selected performers the opportunity to develop their comedy through a free one-day workshop.
The workshop will culminate in a ticketed evening showcase, where each comedian will perform a five-minute set alongside headliner Sukh Ojla and special guest Joshua Bethania.
The 2026 cohort includes performers at different stages of their comedy careers.
Styles range from deadpan storytelling and autobiographical material to surreal and character-led comedy.
Isabella
Isabella brings dark, self-deprecating humour to subjects including disability, family and the NHS.
Her material focuses on the absurdity of everyday life and the indignities that come with being alive.
Shagufta Choudhry
Shugufta Choudhry was a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Award in 2025 after only a handful of stand-up performances.
She combines everyday experiences and cultural observations with deadpan delivery and slow-burn surreal storytelling.
Reese Pate
Reese Patel is a 25-year-old British-Indian comedian from London whose low-energy, deadpan style explores his Indian roots and unusual social interactions.
He won Leicester Square Theatre Sketch Off 2026 and is a finalist for West End New Act of the Year 2026.
Raj Pander
Southall native Raj Pander draws on relationships, divorce, her hometown and pop culture in her autobiographical comedy.
She discovered stand-up through Soho Theatre’s Comedy Labs before performing in its 2026 showcase.
Away from stand-up, Pander is an ARIA-winning presenter for BBC Radio 1’s The Reality Tea. Her independent podcast Almost 40 is also a finalist at this year’s Independent Podcast Awards.
Saloni Gupta
Saloni Gupta started performing stand-up in 2026 and draws predominantly from personal experiences.
She is developing a storytelling-led style while building her material on the comedy circuit and preparing to enter her first competitions.
Chin Siri
London-based Geordie Sri Lankan performer Chin Siri combines personal stories with witty and heartfelt observations.
He has already won open mic competitions including Slap and Giggle and The Cavendish Arms.
Yasser Kayani
Yasser Kayani is a comedian, actor and comedy writer who graduated from the National Film and Television School’s Writing & Producing Comedy Diploma.
He was also a finalist in the British Comedy Guide Performance Talent Awards.
His surreal and anarchic material incorporates clowning and impressions, placing familiar characters into bizarre South Asian situations.
Kayani appears in the mockumentary Act Ting and performs with sketch group Chaos Theory.
Anish J
Anish J began his comedy journey in improv before moving into stand-up earlier in 2026. He combines personal observations and storytelling with ideas taken to their most absurd conclusions.
While still new to the comedy circuit, Anish says his biggest accolade so far may be a text from his mother saying she “kinda enjoyed” his first set.
The Comedy Lab has previously featured acclaimed comedians Ahir Shah and Nish Kumar as mentors and showcase headliners.
Its alumni have since performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, gained further opportunities through Brown Sauce’s monthly shows and received recognition across the UK comedy circuit.
Sharlin Jahan, founder of Brown Sauce, said: “We’re so excited to finally reveal this year’s amazing cohort.
“Every one of them brings a special zuzh (or in this case, spice?) to the Lab, and we can’t wait to see them take to the stage alongside our dream duo of Sukh and Joshua on 17th October!”
Tara Theatre is the UK’s longest-running global majority-led theatre company and has provided a platform for generations of South Asian performers, writers, directors, musicians and choreographers.
As it approaches its 50th anniversary in 2027, the theatre continues to create politically charged work while exploring contemporary issues through a South Asian lens.
Alys Beider, Executive Director and Joint CEO of Tara Theatre, said:
“We’re delighted to welcome this brilliant new cohort to Tara Theatre in partnership with The Comedy Lab.”
“As two organisations dedicated to giving emerging talent the space to experiment, develop and connect, we’re excited to see what this year’s comedians bring to our stage.”
Sukh Ojla will headline the showcase, following television appearances on The Laura Whitmore Breakfast Show, The Big Asian Stand-Up Show and Jonathan Ross’ Comedy Club, among others.
Her debut solo show, For Sukh’s Sake, received rave reviews at the Edinburgh Fringe before she followed it with the nationwide tour Life Sukhs.
Joshua Bethania will also perform a special guest set. The Indian stand-up comedian won So You Think You’re Funny? and was a finalist in the BBC New Comedy Awards in 2022.
That same year, he won King Gong at The Comedy Store and became a NATYS finalist.
The Comedy Lab showcase takes place at Tara Theatre in London on October 17, 2026, at 7:30 pm.
Tickets are available through the Tara Theatre website.
