It is August which only means one thing – it is Camden Fringe time! Over the next few weeks we are chatting to acts that are performing at the festival and finding all about their show and what they would call this years iconic Camden Fringe Pigeon! Today we find out about the show Second Class Queer

Date: 30th & 31st July / 1st August
Time: 19:00 / 21:00
Price: £14 Concession £9
Location: Theatro Technis
Ticket Link: https://camdenfringe.com/events/second-class-queer/

How did you come up with the name of your show that your taking to the Camden fringe?

The name Second Class Queer came from a lived reality, not just a feeling. I was born in Malaysia, where, unless you are of indigenous Malay heritage, practice Islam, and were born into the dominant group, you are treated, after the British independence as a second-class citizen. As a Tamil born Malaysian, I grew up under the weight of colonial legacy and systemic marginalisation.

When I moved to the UK in 2003 to pursue acting, I hoped for more freedom but quickly realised that my brown skin and cultural background still placed me in a lower tier of visibility. There was constant confusion from most folks: I looked Indian, but I was from Malaysia, yet I didn’t speak Hindi and that seemed to break their framework. I was always too much, too foreign, or too unplaceable. So the name is both an indictment and a reclamation. I took the label the world handed me and turned it into a title because naming something gives it power.

Tell us a little bit about your style of show?

It’s part confessional, part ghost story, part poetic breakdown. The piece moves between storytelling, movement, and projected visuals. It’s deeply personal, but also politically sharp and funny in that “laugh now, cry later” kind of way. Think queer Malaysian grief meets quiet moments of truth, a love letter to my younger self, and to anyone who’s ever felt like they didn’t belong.

What other acts are you looking forward to seeing at the fringe?

Honestly, I’m always on the lookout for other artists of colour, queer voices, and experimental solo work. The Camden Fringe has such a range. I’ll be scouring the programme for those shows that might be flying under the radar but are doing the real, raw work.

How are rehearsals going?

Rehearsals feel like therapy in disguise. Intense, emotional, sometimes overwhelming, but always necessary. I’m working on this work independently, so I rehearse wherever I can: walking by the river with headphones on, reciting lines while passers by give me confused looks; in my kitchen while cutting the vegetables; before bed; even while cycling, playing it all out in my head. The material lands differently every time, depending on where I am, physically and emotionally. I let that guide the process. It’s messy, fluid, and deeply alive.

What is the best thing about performing at the Camden fringe?

It’s the freedom. Camden Fringe gives space to voices that might not fit into the mainstream. It’s unfiltered, messy, political, urgent. That’s where I feel most at home.

London can be an expensive place to perform in – what key advice would you give to performers that is a sort of life hack?

Say yes to kindness and no to overpriced flyers. Share rehearsal spaces. Eat before you leave the house. And don’t be afraid to ask your community for help, we’re not meant to do this alone. Wi-Fi and plug sockets in libraries = gold. Also, share other people’s work that resonates with you on Instagram and TikTok, and don’t be shy to ask for the same in return. Building visibility together is more powerful (and more sustainable) than doing it alone.

Who would be your ultimate dream audience member? 

A queer person of colour who never expected to see their story reflected on stage and leaves feeling seen, heard, and they feel like they have permission to take up space. And if Riz Ahmed, Issa Rae, or Michaela Coel were in the audience, I’d quietly (and maybe not so quietly) lose it. But above all, Mojisola Adebayo, who has already seen the show many times, remains a dream presence. Her mentorship carried me through every step of writing and staging this work. Her presence continues to ground me, challenge me, and remind me why I do this.

The iconic image of the Camden Fringe is the Pigeon – if you could call this years pigeon a name to represent its style what would it be and why?

Survivor. Because pigeons don’t care about your opinion, they just keep going. And so do we – artists, misfits, fringe-makers. Especially in this industry.

If people want to find out more about you where can they follow you on social media?

Here – https://linktr.ee/kumarmuniandy

Instagram @secondclassqueer

Tiktok @sentulpasarkumar 

And Finally in three words – Why should people come and see the show? 

Because you matter.

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