ABSTRACT
There have been transnational flows of people between South Asia and the UK for 600 years, and the presence of Indian communities in Britain is certainly not limited to the twentieth century. The larger movements of migration that began after the Second World War were in part to help economic growth and fill gaps in employment in Britain by drawing on workers from colonies. This chapter focuses on diaspora and cultural studies, with elements of postcolonial theory, to encompass the differing cultural movements and discourses. It explores some of the discourse surrounding the representations of South Asians in Britain. The chapter examines the complex use of comedy in popular culture through mainstream productions in television, and how this may in turn shape representations in the theatre. The discussion of British South Asian theatre productions and practitioners must inevitably take into account the idea of 'identity'.
