Carmen Esme Munroe, (born 12 November 1932)"Carmen Monroe, Actress & Officer of the Order of the British Empire Awardee"
Guyanese Girls Rock, 8 November 2012. is a British actress who was born in

Berbice Berbice is a region along the Berbice River in Guyana, which was between 1627 and 1792 a colony of the Dutch West India Company and between 1792 to 1815 a colony of the Dutch state. After having been ceded to the United Kingdom of Great Britain ...

, British Guiana (now

Guyana Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...

), and has been a resident of the UK since the early 1950s. Munroe made her West End stage debut in 1962 and has played an instrumental role in the development of black British theatre and representation on small screen. She has had high-profile roles on stage and television, perhaps best known from the British TV sitcom ''

Desmond's ''Desmond's'' is a British television situation comedy broadcast by Channel 4 from 1989 to 1994. Conceived and co-written by Trix Worrell, and produced by Charlie Hanson and Humphrey Barclay, ''Desmond's'' stars Norman Beaton as barber Des ...

'' as Shirley, wife of the eponymous barber played by

Norman Beaton Norman Lugard Beaton (31 October 1934 – 13 December 1994) was a Guyanese actor long resident in the United Kingdom. He became best known for his role as Desmond Ambrose in the Channel Four television comedy series ''Desmond's''. The writer S ...

Early life and career

Born Carmen Esme Steele in

New Amsterdam New Amsterdam ( nl, Nieuw Amsterdam, or ) was a 17th-century Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the seat of the colonial government in New Netherland. The initial trading ''factory'' gave rise ...

, Berbice, British Guiana, where she was educated at Enterprise High School.Stephen Bourne
"Carmen Munroe: Standing in the Light" (biographical introduction)
in ''Black in the British Frame: The Black Experience in British Film and Television'', A&C Black, 2005, pp. 132–134. She emigrated to Britain in 1951, and after studying ophthalmic optics for a year then working as a librarian in

Tooting Tooting is a district in South London, forming part of the London Borough of Wandsworth and partly in the London Borough of Merton. It is located south south-west of Charing Cross. History Tooting has been settled since pre- Saxon times ...

, south London, in 1957 she began studying drama with a group based at the

West Indian Students' Centre The West Indian Students' Centre (WISC) was located at 1 Collingham Gardens, Earls Court, London, in a building bought with the support of West Indian governments, and officially opened on 1 June 1955 by Princess Margaret.David Clover"Dispersed or ...

in Collingham Gardens, south-west London. Munroe first appeared on the West End stage in 1962 at

Wyndham's Theatre Wyndham's Theatre is a West End theatre, one of two opened by actor/manager Charles Wyndham (the other is the Criterion Theatre). Located on Charing Cross Road in the City of Westminster, it was designed c.1898 by W. G. R. Sprague, the archit ...

Tennessee Williams Thomas Lanier Williams III (March 26, 1911 – February 25, 1983), known by his pen name Tennessee Williams, was an American playwright and screenwriter. Along with contemporaries Eugene O'Neill and Arthur Miller, he is considered among the thre ...

’s ''Period of Adjustment'', and had leading roles in later West End productions, such as

Alun Owen Alun Davies Owen (24 November 1925 – 6 December 1994) was a Welsh playwright, screenwriter and actor, predominantly in television. However, he is best remembered by a wider audience for writing the screenplay of The Beatles' debut feature fi ...

’s ''There’ll Be Some Changes Made'' (1969),

Jean Genet Jean Genet (; – ) was a French novelist, playwright, poet, essayist, and political activist. In his early life he was a vagabond and petty criminal, but he later became a writer and playwright. His major works include the novels ''The Thief's ...

’s ''The Blacks'' (1970), and as Orinthia in

George Bernard Shaw George Bernard Shaw (26 July 1856 – 2 November 1950), known at his insistence simply as Bernard Shaw, was an Irish playwright, critic, polemicist and political activist. His influence on Western theatre, culture and politics extended from ...

’s ''

The Apple Cart ''The Apple Cart: A Political Extravaganza'' is a 1928 play by George Bernard Shaw. It is a satirical comedy about several political philosophies which are expounded by the characters, often in lengthy monologues. The plot follows the fictional ...

'' (1970). She also acted in such plays as

Lorraine Hansberry Lorraine Vivian Hansberry (May 19, 1930 – January 12, 1965) was a playwright and writer. She was the first African-American female author to have a play performed on Broadway. Her best-known work, the play ''A Raisin in the Sun'', highli ...

's ''

A Raisin in the Sun ''A Raisin in the Sun'' is a play by Lorraine Hansberry that debuted on Broadway in 1959. The title comes from the poem "Harlem" (also known as "A Dream Deferred") by Langston Hughes. The story tells of a black family's experiences in south Chi ...

'',

Alice Childress Alice Childress (October 12, 1916 – August 14, 1994) was an American novelist, playwright, and actress, acknowledged as "the only African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic ...

's '' Trouble in Mind'' and

James Baldwin James Arthur Baldwin (August 2, 1924 – December 1, 1987) was an American writer. He garnered acclaim across various media, including essays, novels, plays, and poems. His first novel, '' Go Tell It on the Mountain'', was published in 1953; de ...

's ''

The Amen Corner ''The Amen Corner'' is a three-act play by James Baldwin. It was Baldwin's first work for the stage following the success of his novel '' Go Tell It on the Mountain''. The drama was first published in 1954, and inspired a short-lived 1983 Broadw ...

''. She directed James Saunders' play ''Alas, Poor Fred'' for the Umoja Theatre, and also the British premiere of ''Remembrance'', by

Derek Walcott Sir Derek Alton Walcott (23 January 1930 – 17 March 2017) was a Saint Lucian poet and playwright. He received the 1992 Nobel Prize in Literature. His works include the Homeric epic poem ''Omeros'' (1990), which many critics view "as Walcot ...

at London's

Arts Theatre The Arts Theatre is a theatre in Great Newport Street, in Westminster, Central London. History It opened on 20 April 1927 as a members-only club for the performance of unlicensed plays, thus avoiding theatre censorship by the Lord Chamber ...

in 1987. Her work for television has encompassed being for a time a presenter of '' Play School'' as well as the BBC's lunchtime children's programme ''How Do You Do'', and a wide variety of acting appearances. These include a part in the 1967 ''

Doctor Who ''Doctor Who'' is a British science fiction television series broadcast by the BBC since 1963. The series depicts the adventures of a Time Lord called the Doctor, an extraterrestrial being who appears to be human. The Doctor explores the u ...

'' story ''

The Enemy of the World ''The Enemy of the World'' is the fourth serial of the fifth season of the British science fiction television series ''Doctor Who'', which originally aired in six weekly parts from 23 December 1967 to 27 January 1968. The serial is set in Aus ...

''; a part in ''

General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...

'', in ''The Persuaders'' (1971),

Barry Reckord Barrington John Reckord (19 November 1926 – 20 December 2011), known as Barry Reckord, was a Jamaican playwright, one of the earliest Caribbean writers to make a contribution to theatre in Britain. His brother was the actor and director Lloyd ...

's ''In the Beautiful Caribbean'' (BBC 1972),

Alfred Fagon Alfred Fagon (25 June 1937 – 29 August 1986) was a British playwright, poet and actor. He was one of the most notable Black British playwrights of the 1970s and 1980s. Fagon worked for British Rail and served in the British Army before he wrote ...

's ''Shakespeare Country'' (BBC 1973), '' The Fosters'' (LWT, 1976–77), Michael Abbensetts' ''Black Christmas'' (BBC, 1977), '' Mixed Blessings'' (1978–80),

Horace Ové Sir Horace Shango Ové (born 1936) is a Trinidad and Tobago-born British filmmaker, photographer, painter and writer. One of the leading black independent filmmakers to emerge in Britain in the post-war period, Ové holds the ''Guinness World R ...

's ''A Hole in Babylon'' (BBC, 1979), and

Caryl Phillips Caryl Phillips (born 13 March 1958) is a Kittitian-British novelist, playwright and essayist. Best known for his novels (for which he has won multiple awards), Phillips is often described as a Black Atlantic writer, since much of his fictional ...

' ''The Hope and the Glory'' (BBC, 1984). Munroe became best known, however, for her regular appearances between 1989 and 1994 in the

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

sitcom ''

'' (written by

Trix Worrell Trix Worrell (born 1959) is a St Lucia-born writer, composer and director best known as the creator and writer of television sitcoms ''Desmond's'' and '' Porkpie'' for Channel 4. His son is actor Elliot Barnes-Worrell. Biography Worrell started ...

) as Shirley, wife of the eponymous barber Desmond Ambrose, played by

. Her film career included roles in ''

Naked Evil ''Naked Evil'' is a black-and-white independent 1966 British horror film, written and directed by Stanley Goulder and starring Basil Dignam, Basil Dingnam, Anthony Ainley, Richard Coleman and John Ashley Hamilton. It was produced by Michael F. ...

'' (1966), ''

All Neat in Black Stockings ''All Neat in Black Stockings'' is a 1969 British comedy film directed by Christopher Morahan and starring Victor Henry, Susan George and Jack Shepherd.British Film Institute Film & TV DatabaseAll Neat in Black Stockings./ref> Based on a nove ...

'' (1968) and ''

The Chain "The Chain" is a song by British-American rock band Fleetwood Mac, released on their 1977 album '' Rumours''. It is the only song from the album with writing credits for all five members ( Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Christine McVie, John ...

'' (1984). She is one of the founders of Talawa, the UK's leading black theatre company, which she established in 1985 together with

Mona Hammond Mona Hammond (born Mavis Chin; 1 January 1931 – 4 July 2022) was a Jamaican-British actress and co-founder of the Talawa Theatre Company. Born in Tweedside, Jamaica,

, Inigo Espegel and

Yvonne Brewster Yvonne Jones Brewster (née Clarke; born 7 October 1938) is a Jamaican actress, theatre director and businesswoman, known for her role as Ruth Harding in the BBC television soap opera '' Doctors''. She co-founded the theatre companies Talawa ...

. In 1992, Munroe "gave an outstanding performance as Essie Robeson in a BBC play called ''A Song at Twilight''". In 2005/06, Munroe acted in a series of three African American plays at the

Tricycle Theatre The Kiln Theatre (formerly the Tricycle Theatre) is a theatre located in Kilburn, in the London Borough of Brent, England. Since 1980, the theatre has presented a wide range of plays reflecting the cultural diversity of the area, as well as ...

, Kilburn. The plays were ''Walk Hard'', written by

Abram Hill Abram Hill, also known as Ab Hill, (January 20, 1910 – October 13, 1986) was an American playwright, author of ''On Strivers Row'', ''Walk Hard, Talk Loud'' and several other plays; and a principal figure in the development of black theatre from ...

and directed by

Nicolas Kent Nicolas Kent (born 26 January 1945) is a British theatre director. His father arrived in Britain in 1936, a Jewish German refugee, and changed his name from Kahn to Kent. Early life and education Kent, who was brought up in Hampstead Garden Su ...

, followed by ''

Gem of the Ocean ''Gem of the Ocean'' (2003) is a play by American playwright August Wilson. Although the ninth play produced, chronologically it is the first installment of his decade-by-decade, ten-play chronicle, ''The Pittsburgh Cycle'', dramatizing the Afri ...

'', written by

August Wilson August Wilson ( Frederick August Kittel Jr.; April 27, 1945 – October 2, 2005) was an American playwright. He has been referred to as the "theater's poet of Black America". He is best known for a series of ten plays, collectively called ' (or ...

and directed by

Paulette Randall Paulette Randall, MBE (born 1961) is a British theatre director of Jamaican descent.

, in which Munroe acted in the role of Aunt Esther Tyler, and finally Lynn Nottage's ''Fabulation'', directed by

Indhu Rubasingham Indhu Rubasingham, , is a British theatre director and the current artistic director of the Kiln Theatre (formerly the Tricycle Theatre) in Kilburn, London. Early life Born in Sheffield to Tamil parents from Sri Lanka in 1970, Rubasingham was ...

. In 2007, she acted in Allister Bain's play '' Catalysta'' at the

Ovalhouse Ovalhouse, formerly called Oval House Theatre, was an Off-West End theatre in the London Borough of Lambeth, located at 52–54 Kennington Oval, London, SE11 5SW. It closed in 2020, and moved to Brixton, becoming the Brixton House theatre (located ...

, directed by

Robert Icke Robert Icke (; born 29 November 1986) is an English writer and theatre director. He has been referred to as the "great hope of British theatre." He is best known for his play ''The Doctor'', and his modern adaptations of classic texts, includ ...

, receiving rave reviews for her performance as Eartha. In 2013, Munroe appeared in the

CBBC CBBC (initialised as Children's BBC and also known as the CBBC Channel) is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast children's television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It is also the bran ...

children's comedy/drama show ''

The Dumping Ground ''The Dumping Ground'' (also informally referred to as ''The DG'') is a British children's television drama series that focuses on the lives and experiences of young people who live in a children's home with their care workers in care. The s ...

'' (sequel to ''

Tracy Beaker Returns ''Tracy Beaker Returns'' is a British television programme. Based upon the novels by Jacqueline Wilson, it is the sequel series to '' The Story of Tracy Beaker''. The series stars Dani Harmer reprising her role as protagonist Tracy Beaker. T ...

'') as Gina's mother Hattie. In 2020, she made a guest appearance on '' Holby City'' as a therapist for Jac Naylor (Rosie Marcel)

Awards

Munroe was appointed an

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) in the 2007 Birthday Honours for services to drama.United Kingdom list:

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Munroe, Carmen 1932 births Living people British television actresses Guyanese emigrants to England Officers of the Order of the British Empire Black British actresses BBC television presenters People from New Amsterdam, Guyana Guyanese actresses

Early life and career

Awards

Further reading

References

External links