“Each and every one of us is a miracle. It’s like ‘Monster’s Ink’, we all have a door. We have to find a way to open that door. That’s what I try to do. Just behind that door is every iteration of you.”
Poet, playwright, actor, artist, Children’s Laureate Wales 2022-2023
The power of theatre
‘Why can’t I just call the character in the piece I am trying to write Connor, because it’s about me and it’s my story? LIGHT BULB!’
Belonging and a sense of place
‘How do I navigate the black branches of my family tree and history alongside the white branches?’
Past, present, future
‘As I approach the end of my twenties, I look back and reflect on so much that has already happened in my life. I’m still here, and that alone is a triumph!’
Connor Allen in conversation with Sita Brahmachari
‘Growing up on my council estate the arts felt elitist. They never felt like they represented us.’
Biography
Connor Allen is a multidisciplinary artist and former Children’s Laureate Wales (2021-2023). He’s written for BBC Wales, BBC Radio 4, Wales Millennium Centre, and others. He wrote and performed in his acclaimed show The Making of a Monster, and was the 2023 winner of the Imison Award for his debut audio drama of the same title.
His two debut poetry collections were released in 2023: Dominoes, for adults, and Miracles, for children. His work is inspired by elements of his own life, including grief, love, masculinity, and identity. He holds an Honorary Doctorate in Literature from The University of South Wales.
