Words: Caitlin Finnerty

4 stars

Brown Girls Do It Too: Mama Told Me Not to Come is a bold, funny, and refreshingly unfiltered celebration of sex, shame, identity, and the messy in-betweens of being a British Asian woman. Hosted by Poppy and Rubina, the award-winning duo behind the groundbreaking BBC podcast, this live show mixes rehearsed skits with spontaneous podcast-style chat to great effect.

Set in a nostalgia-soaked early-2000s teenage bedroom (complete with Titanic, Spice Girls, and Bend It Like Beckham posters) the space becomes a safe haven for unspoken truths. From sexual awakenings to “brown fever,” code-switching, and generational guilt – no topic is off limits. Their stories are deeply personal, funny, and laced with the kind of cultural specificity that feels long overdue on stage.

There are laugh-out-loud moments (especially when imitating judgmental aunties), playful crowd interactions, and heartfelt reflections on motherhood, family, and the weight of tradition. The closing sequence, a joyful dance followed by moving letters to their disapproving parents, is as emotional as it is empowering.

Even as an outsider to their lived experience, the honesty, chemistry, and humour are undeniable. They’re saying what generations of women before them couldn’t. And they’re doing it fabulously.

Brown Girls Do It Too: Mama Told Me Not to Come
Cowbarn, Underbelly at Bristo Square 
16:00
Aug 7-24