‘Love Me Like A Chai Tea Latte’ – Sanjay Lago’s award winning tea spilling show hits Edinburgh
Actor, writer, performer gets full length run at the Edinburgh Fringe festival which begins officially tomorrow (August 1)…
TENDER, sensitive and thoughtful, might be three impressions you form of Sanjay Lago on a first meeting.
One can’t really imagine him putting it all out there – and yet in many ways, his one-man show, ‘Love Me Like A Tea Chai Latte’ is just that and he is about to hit the Edinburgh Fringe on what is nearly a whole August month-long run, beginning today with a preview show. (See listings below).
‘Love Me Like A Tea Chai Latte’ premiered formally at the fringe last year but it was just a two night spot at a friend’s Edinburgh bookshop. Before that, Lago had produced something for the Vaults Festival in 2023 and had had a one-off open mic spot at the LA Comedy Club.
The show won the Emerging Talent Award from Neurodiverse Review Awards last year and also is a recipient of the Art Award 2025, which helps support artists wanting to mount full length runs as part of the Edinburgh Fringe.
Lago also performed ‘Love Me Like a Chai Tea Latte’ at Soho Theatre as well in February – a gig that came out of his work with its online theatre writer’s lab during the pandemic. ACV has not seen the show.
“It’s about dating and racism, but also about finding love in yourself and accepting yourself,” Lago told www.asianculturevulture.com earlier this month on a Zoom.
It’s quite a personal show – covering Lago’s dating experiences as an Out Scottish gay man.
His love of languages also led him to highlight some anomalies in English-South Asian language use – chai means Tea in South Asia.
The show started as something of a comedy routine and was closer in style and delivery to a stand up – but now an hour long it has songs, dance and while it still packs humour, Lago said, it is a little darker and deals with uncomfortable subjects too.
“I play a character called Sanj – it could be me,” he teased. “He is telling his stories – there are a few jokes in there.”
He plays a writer about to launch a new book.
“It’s has Scottish, Indian and Punjabi flavours – the South Asian and the Queer identity are like the two main things,” he explained.
There’s Bollywood too in there.
“It’s a big part of my life and I’m more into the 1980s, 1990s and 2000s films. In 2000, I had my first cinema experience in India, and went to see ‘Mohabbatein’ – something of a star studded production – featuring the rare combination of King Khan himself – India’s number one film star – Shah Rukh Khan – and the legend that is Amitabh Bachchan, who was the King Supreme at that time. Aishwarya Rai (Bachchan), another megastar is also in the film, which is set in a UK boarding school and has Khan a music teacher, while Bachchan is the head. Ash, as she is known by her fans, is Bachchan’s daughter in the film.
“It was the most brilliant experience – it was so lively in the cinema,” enthused Lago.
Indian audiences react very vocally and demonstrably – cinema etiquette is for the most part, non-existent. You go to show you’re having a good time (or a bad one) and Lago liked that and the energy of that is something that has inspired him.
“So, these dates are based on real ones I’ve had and I’ve fictionalised them a bit…”
As well tackling his sexuality and coming out to his parents, he said the way some potential partners react to him is priceless and is also featured in the show.
“So, one guy had seen my picture before we met and he shook my hand and the first thing he said to me was ‘You don’t have that curry smell your people usually have’. ”
He grew up in Glasgow, the son of third generation parents.
“My grandparents came from Jalandhar, Punjab in the 1920s – I say, I am a Punjabi Scot and going into the arts wasn’t where I was going to go. He was set for the law and/or translator work – he knows seven languages.
A supportive drama teacher encouraged his love of performance and creativity.
“I used to get bullied quite badly for being different – I got picked on by both South Asian boys and white ones.”
He agrees perfomance became his safe space and one of refuge, comfort, and acceptance.
“I feel like through the arts you can educate and it’s a great tool.”
His neurodiversity is reflected in his ADHD (Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder).
“I can go off on tangents and my neurodiversity effects my memory sometimes and I have dyslexia.”
He studied for a BA Honours in Contemporary Performance Practice at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and had a year out in between completing his education by undertaking a number of short courses, allowing him to teach drama and creativity in schools and be an educator.
He was writing a lot at the time and also had a job in theatre, as a front of house manager, as well as acting gigs.
When the pandemic struck, he was able to get onto the online Soho Theatre Writers’ Lab – something he might not have been able to do in normal times. We have almost come full circle.
“I am really passionate about shows that are heartfelt and leave you with something to think about…” he told acv.
With that sort of sentiment, you can’t help feeling ‘Love Me Like a Chai Tea Latte’, will help to better establish Lago – he’s hoping a Go Fund Me initiative will also help secure the show’s future…
Listing
‘Love Me Like a Chai Tea Latte’ by Sanjay Lago (July 31-August 25)
RoxyBoxy at Assembly Roxy
2 Roxburgh Place
Edinburgh EH8 9SU
https://assemblyfestival.com/whats-on/987-love-me-like-a-chai-tea-latte
Go Fund Me – https://gofund.me/053a8c3e
