SECOND CLASS QUEER Written, performed, and produced by Kumar Muniandy

At a live, fast paced gay speed dating night in Berlin, Krishna, a gay Tamil-Malaysian man, finds himself across the table from five wildly different speed-daters: a naïvely Eurocentric Brit, a charming German who 'doesn't see colour', a proud plus-sized Pakistani-British Muslim, a gentle Black NHS nurse, and a Western yogi chasing spirituality. Each encounter pushes Krishna to confront love, loss, identity, and the truth he never shared with his late mother.

Funny, tender, and unflinching, Second Class Queer is a solo performance that speaks directly to anyone who has ever been made to feel like a guest in their own life.

Kumar Muniandy plays the character of Krishna.

Muniandy is a queer Tamil-Malaysian actor, writer, and theatre maker based between London, Berlin and Kuala Lumpur. A graduate of the Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London, his work explores queerness, migration, and postcolonial identity. Second Class Queer has toured internationally, with seasons in Berlin, Hamburg, Brighton, Zagreb, Regensburg, London, Edinburgh and BanFgalore. He recently premiered his new monologue piece, I'm Coming For You Anyway, funded by the Berlin Senate for the Monologfestival in conjunction with TD Theatre in Berlin. His short art film, Unfortunately Wonderful Difficult, had its world premiere in November 2025 in North Carolina. His earlier works include Sunny Boy, an autobiographical documentary, and White Talcum Powder, performed in Kuala Lumpur and Berlin and presented at TaPRA 2025. He also performs in ensemble theatre and experimental film, centering storytelling as a means of resistance and community.

What the critics say

"The audience is already transfixed. This is a stunning, bold way to open a show... Kumar keeps this feeling of personal connection strong throughout." The Edinburgh Reporter ★★★★

"His presence in the role is superbly real, real with a capital R. It made me laugh and cry. It made me feel uncomfortable and then proud. It made me want to be a better man." The Latest Brighton ★★★★★

"Kumar is utterly believable and he brilliantly times the conversations, which is no mean feat. He gives us humanity, honesty and understanding. It's a terrific performance." Scene Magazine ★★★★★

Awards and Recognition
★ Edinburgh Fringe Outstanding Male Performer Highly Commended, Asian Arts Award by Asian Art Fund Scotland.

★ Edinburgh Fringe Recipient of the 2025 Keep It Fringe Award.

★ Recipient of Brighton Fringe's 2025 Mental Health Bursary.

Developed and premiered as part of the EXPO Festival 2022 at English Theatre Berlin, International Performing Arts Center.