For over three decades, Cardboard Citizens has used theatre to change the narrative around homelessness. Their latest project takes that mission from stage to page with a collection that places storytelling power directly in the hands of people who know poverty and homelessness firsthand.
"More Than One Story: An Anthology of Monologues on Homelessness and Poverty" brings together 37 voices—22 selected from a national open call that drew 135 submissions, alongside commissioned works from established writers including former Children's Laureate Malorie Blackman and award-winning poet Joelle Taylor. A foreword by actor Michael Sheen introduces the collection published by Nick Hern Books.
Artistic Director Chris Sonnex describes the breadth of responses as overwhelming. "We could have published ten books," he said. The selected monologues span experiences from street-sleeping to sofa-surfing, addressing citizenship, mental health, and the rental industry with resilience, rage, and humor.
The anthology launched with a special performance at London's Trafalgar Theatre on November 9, hosted by Rory Kinnear and featuring readings by actors including Sara Pascoe, Paterson Joseph, and Arthur Darvill alongside Cardboard Citizens members.
The project addresses a pressing need. In the UK today, more than 16 million people live in poverty, with one in every 200 households experiencing homelessness. These monologues cut through statistics to reveal the nuanced, complex realities behind the numbers—stories that challenge assumptions and demand to be heard on their own terms, told by the people who lived them.