Lindsay Rodden talks about her new play Jennie Lee for Mikron Theatre

Thousands of people have changed their lives through the Open University thanks to the vision of radical Labour MP Jennie Lee.

Her life story is now Huddersfield based Mikron Theatre’s latest production, written by Lindsay Rodden, with original songs and integrated audio description charting the extraordinary life of a pioneering Scottish politician.  

She was also the first Minister for the Arts, but many people will never have heard of her work that enabled so many to better themselves through the Open University, which only came into being through her sheer doggedness. Lee was also married to NHS founder Nye Bevan, but her achievements make so her so much more than a footnote in someone else’s past.

In the classic Mikron tradition four actors/musicians will tour Jennie Lee nationally by canal, river, and road until 19th October.

Lindsay Rodden spoke to our Features Editor Paul Clarke about what inspired her to tell the story of a remarkable woman who helped change the twentieth century for working class people.

For those not familiar with Jennie’s story what is so remarkable about her that she deserves a play?

What a woman Jennie Lee was. She became an MP at the age of 24, when she actually wasn’t allowed to vote herself. This was in a by-election in 1929, and at this point women under 30 couldn’t vote, so that in itself was a really incredible achievement. Then when you factor in that she came from a coal mining family in Cowdenbeath, they didn’t come from much money, but they had passion, commitment and lots of books. She came back into the Labour Party and into government in 1945, and became the first Minister for the Arts, and then set up the Open University. I don’t think it’s an exaggeration to say that she contributed to the shaping of the country as we know it.

Of all the female titans of the labour movement what drew you a woman who is a bit forgotten these days?

That was the reason actually because I hadn’t really heard of her, I was quite shocked I hadn’t. I knew her name in regards to the history of the Arts Council, and I knew she was married to Aneurin Bevan and that’s all. Then once I started finding out about the rest of her life I couldn’t believe that her story wasn’t more widely told. She really lit a fire in me, I really felt it important that somebody tell the story, so I better get on with it.

If people have heard of Jennie she is often referred to as Nye Bevan’s wife, which aside from being patronising, seems to diminish her own remarkable achievements.

I wonder if that was one of the reasons why her story isn’t more widely told. When Jennie first became a MP she was the star burning bright, he was nowhere near as widely known or feted.  Jennie was the one everybody thought was one of the rising stars in the Labour Party. Initially Jennie was in love with something else, and she would call Nye her comrade, we are brothers and sisters in the cause. Eventually they did marry, and it did really become a true love match, but it didn’t start out that way.

One of the key tenets of working class culture in the twentieth century was a sense that educating yourself was really important, so do you think that was why Jennie was so passionate about the Open University?

I’ve absolutely taken that angle right into the play. When she was campaigning for the Open University and fighting really hard for it to fulfil its full potential that’s a lot of what she would say. She would talk about opportunity for all, and Jennie was lucky because her parents really believed this too. There was a sense that you needed to understand the world that you’re in, and also the knowledge that the world is changing. and that you might be able to play a part in that change. She absolutely is a product of that, and I don’t think it’s any accident that she went on to do what she did.

Famously Mikron tours with four actor/musicians who play all the roles and perform the songs. As a writer how have you found the process of creating the music?

It’s a massive challenge to tell a story as big as this with four actors, but I can’t think of a better company to do it. I genuinely, genuinely have lost count of how many characters are in the play now. One lucky actor gets to just be Jennie Lee, but the other three are equally as lucky as they get to be the rest of the 20th century around her. One of the joys of working with them is you get to write songs, so I’ve written the lyrics, and Sonum Batra is the composer.

The music in Mikron plays is a key element so what can their incredibly loyal fan base expect from Jennie Lee?

There was so much of Jennie’s life that suggested the kind of musical palette for the show.  We were really influenced by the music hall, Jenny grew up next door to the music hall when she was a kid and would go there all the time. Then the twenties and thirties styles, and also folk music and protest songs. Her life and her story just constantly kept suggesting music to us.

Jennie Lee is an oft neglected titan of the last century so what do you hope today’s audiences will take away from her story?

Thinking about Jennie being surrounded by poverty, by people’s jobs being controlled by industrialists, an awful lot of terrible health and no means to pay for a doctor. To think about all the things that have changed in that 100 years and for Jennie to have played such a significant role in that. This generation of people who really, really believed that they could change this situation by the power of their convictions and their passions. I think that’s maybe what I hope people can take away from the show, take inspiration from Jennie’s bravery and her tenacity.

Jennie Lee tours until 19th October 2024 and to book https://mikron.org.uk/tour-dates/