Carmen Monroe was born in British Guiana (now Guyana) and emigrated to Britain in the 1950s. She made her West End debut in 1962 in Tennessee Williams' play Period of Adjustment. Munroe is one of the co-founders of Talawa Theatre Company. She made her Shakespeare debut at the age of 83 in The Faction's production of Richard III: "Why now? Better now than never! Shakespeare is like a Mecca – as an actor you have to visit him. He is daring; he writes such rich language. And in Richard III the women are so strong. I’m excited to speak these words, in this space, with this company."