Travelling Theatre Company's Two Shows for 2024 Summer Season

Common Ground: Lauren Robinson, Eddie Ahrens, Georgina Liley, Mark Emmons. Credit Robling Photography.

Common Ground and Jenny Lee at The Folly, Napton, on 9 August 2024. Performed by The Mikron Theatre.

Review by Charles Essex

 The Mikron Theatre Company from Marsden near Huddersfield tour with two shows running concurrently each summer. For 2024 they performed Common Ground and Jenny Lee.

Common Ground takes us through 1000 years of history from William the Conqueror enclosing land to reward his loyal dukes, through to the mass trespasses, such as Kinder Scout, and the formation of the Ramblers Association.  Oscillating with the present day, Jamie (Mark Emmons), Frank (Eddie Ahrens) and Winnie (Georgina Liley) are working hard to preserve lost rights of way before the Government deadline, coming up against landowners who want to restrict access and, in a very modern touch, Tik-Tok influencer Meera (Lauren Robinson).  Mark and Georgina were the centre of a running joke as members of the same family in different generations of non-landowners with hilarious anachronisms, highlighting their plight of trying to survive and find food as they were deprived of even more land.

In writer and lyricist Poppy Hollman’s clever script, the cast tell their stories and combine information and social awareness, from the industrial revolution drawing people from farms into cities yet needing open spaces and countryside to latter day environmental damage. 

Jenny Lee: Eddie Ahrens, Georgina Liley, Lauren Robinson, Mark Emmons. Copyright Robling Photography.

Jennie Lee is a departure from Mikron’s usual exploration of a topic or institution, and instead is biography of its eponymous subject.  Jennie Lee is often known as the wife of Nye Bevan but that does her a disservice.  She was a very active MP in her own right and founded the Open University, which exemplified her concern for the underprivileged.  Lauren Robinson’s sole role was Jennie, and although the narrative was rather slow to get going, Lauren wonderfully portrayed her at various ages, as a child of a miner in a working-class household, steeped in socialism and political activism, and election to parliament before she was old enough to vote at that time.  Lauren conveyed Jennie’s determination and feistiness, maintaining a strong Scottish accent throughout. 

The rest of the troupe play multiple parts, with Eddie Ahrens, who had a fine baritone singing voice, being particularly effective at seeming to change facially with each part. Together with Mark and Georgina, all the cast, multitalented in musical theatre, were word perfect in both plays.

Lee was no angel and the play hinted at her problems with alcohol and her relationship with a married fellow MP before marrying Bevan. The writer’s left wing bias was barely concealed with the usual anti-Thatcher clichés, even though Thatcher was from a working class background. That notwithstanding once again Mikron does not disappoint with its two latest productions.

Common Ground is at The Two Boats Inn, Southam Road, Long Itchington, CV47 9QZ on Thursday 15 August at 7 pm and Foundry Wood. CV31 3PH on Saturday 17 August at 12.30 pm.

Jenny Lee is at Rowington Village Hall, CV35 7DB on Wednesday 14 August at 7.30 pm; Hatton Locks Café, CV35 7JL on Saturday 17 August at 7 pm; at St Mary’s Allotments, CV31 1DP on Sunday 25August at 2 pm.

Tickets for the production at Rowington Village Hall are available from their website Mikron.org.uk.  The other venues above are open access, but you may need to take your own chairs.  Check their website for details.