Lueen Conning

Lueen is a Durban born poet, playwright and performing artist. She began writing poetry at the age of 8 and has acted professionally as well as writing and directing several of her own theatre productions. The most recent production A Coloured Place was nominated for three FNB Vita awards in 1998. She currently works as a self-employed writer and in teamwork with local artists using other mediums.


As she entered in school, she attends the state Coloured school. She was so restrained because it was only white school. In Lueen’s childhood, she did not know what exactly she wanted to be, but she had a goal just to be someone that other people think she can’t. Later on she began to interested artist because her school was teaching drama as the main subject. “And I wanted to study that so badly. I knew in the early age that I wanted to perform and that I was an artist”(p6).


Lueen’s first play or production was called “U-voice” and follows up with the accomplishment of “A coloured Place” at the Women’s Arts Festival. “A coloured Place” was about how can we describe the importance of where we originally come from or root. “A coloured Place” represents the legal place of coloured people in South Africa. The play has demonstrated that coloured people actually belong in somewhere, and colored also cause a lot problem among the coloured communities such as gangsterism. “Kids aren’t getting a stimulating education and have nothing to do after school” (p7). There are not enough source facilities, most family are poor, and there are always problems at home. “A coloured Place” reflects the truth of coloured people and a chance to for them to look at themselves in the mirror.


What is Lueen’s attitude toward the play “A coloured Place”.?