Sanjay Lago is a Glasgow born Punjabi neurodiverse gaysian actor writer and comedian. He has worked extensively in theatre and screen for 13 years, venturing into comedy in 2022. He is a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. We sat down with them to discuss their show Love Me Like a Chai Latte.
Why did you make this show?
I was new to stand up and to poetry post pandemic and I created it because I was seeing a real lack of south asian queer stories. And I wanted to share the ups and downs of dating when balancing different barriers.
What is the part of the show you’re most proud of?
I am most proud of my poems I have written about the show and also proud of being able to bring a sense of drama to my coming out story because it was a time I found tough but when I look back on it, it turned out better than I expected.
As a disabled practitioner, what do you want to see change at The Edinburgh Fringe?
The understanding of neurodiverse minds and that we all function differently. Also to understand accessibility, we don’t see many relaxed or BSL performances. And finally to not assume people are able bodied as there are hidden disabilities.
Why should we come and see the show?
This show came from pain and I didn’t want to let the pain of hurtful experiences get in the way of me living my one life. And then when speaking to people, the hilarity of these situations just made for a crazy wee show! I also knew that I wasn’t just gay, I am always ticking many boxes, and you should come see this show becuse you will seee one persons journey in not only navigating their life but also navigating finding love.
This is a show that brings together comedy and poetry, it brings together honest reflections on dating life and also a dash of singing. Who doesn’t love Shirley Bassey, Dusty Springfield or Bollywood. And to top it off, who doesn’t love tea, you know that “British” thing. You should come to this show to laugh and be apart of one persons rollercoaster journey to find the one, whilst sipping on a chai.
I’m doing this show to raise funds for my Masters at drama school, which is a dream, and also to support Lighthouse Books, a brilliant independent bookshop!
Love Me Like a Chai Latte is on at Lighthouse Books on the 13th and 20th August
