Lemn Sissay to perform in Cardiff on his only Welsh tour date

Fans of the award-winning international writer and broadcaster, Lemn Sissay will be able to see him perform readings from his powerful best-selling memoir when he comes to Wales as part of his summer tour.

My Name Is Why: Lemn Sissay is written and performed by Sissay, a BAFTA-nominated international prize-winning writer and recipient of the PEN Pinter Prize, who was awarded an OBE in 2021 for services to literature and charity.

The memoir chronicles a remarkable story of resilience, determination and courage, and what happened when, at the age of seventeen, after a childhood in a foster care and then in a string of care homes, Norman Greenwood was given his birth certificate.

Through the birth certificate, he discovered that his real name was not Norman, but it was Lemn Sissay and he that was British and Ethiopian.

He also learned that his mother had been pleading for his safe return to her since his birth.

Timely

In the new touring production’s only Welsh date, Sissay will visit the Sherman theatre in Cardiff on 9 June, reflecting on a childhood in care, self-expression and Britishness, and in doing so exploring the institutional care system, race, family and the meaning of home.

With lyricism and power, this moving, frank and timely event is described as the result of a life spent asking questions, and a celebration of the redemptive power of creativity.

The performance will be followed by a Q&A session where audiences can gain a deeper understanding of Sissay’s story.

Tickets and more information for the event can be found here