In our latest Playwright interview Director of Get The Chance Guy O’Donnell chats to Playwright Jennnifer Lunn. Jennifer discusses her career to date, her writing process, working for Read For Good and her thoughts on opportunities for Playwrights in Wales.

Great to meet you Jennifer, how did you first get interested in the arts?

 I was very lucky that my parents were both very active in amateur theatre and so my brothers and I grew up making theatre from when we were very tiny. I was in my first production at 12 weeks old!! I absolutely loved the communal experience of it, the stories and the magic – and I could never really imagine myself doing anything else. I used to say that if I ended up just sweeping the stage in a theatre I would be happy! (And I’ve done a lot of stage sweeping in my time!!) 

 Can you tell us about your writing process? Where do your ideas come from?

 My ideas mainly come from injustices or inequities that I want to address. Things I’d like to be able to change. My first play, Es & Flo (which was set to premiere at Edinburgh’s Traverse theatre before the Covid-19 pandemic led to the fringe’s cancellation. It won the Popcorn Writing award 2020 for new work. An extract can be seen below) is about an older lesbian couple who risk being separated because their relationship isn’t official. I wanted to show the places where work still needs to be done in the journey towards equality. My plays Core and Terroir are both about the climate emergency and how we, as humans are responding to it. 

There is also something about the characters I want to put on stage. I want to give space to voices and characters who we don’t often see. My plays often centre around queer women and non-binary people. My characters are intersectional – For example in Core, Clem is a Deaf, queer polar scientist and Jules is a Black, queer politician. The play is not about them being Deaf or Black or queer. It’s about their relationship with each other and the future. I wanted to show that these characters’ stories shouldn’t focus on their ‘protected characteristics’. 

I’m excited to announce that a fully staged production of Es and Flo will premier at The Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff on the 28 April and runs until the 13 May.

I started writing the play about ten years ago. A queer love story with a cast of 5 female characters from 8-71!! A story of secrets, memories, female solidarity and chosen families… A play I wasn’t sure I could write and never imagined would make it to the stage. But people liked it. It won a couple of awards and today… tickets went on sale for its premiere in Cardiff in April!!. I am SO SO grateful to everyone (and it really has taken a village) who has supported this play over the last ten years. From the first readings of scenes in the back room of a pub with Shake it Up, to readings and workshops, through postponements and Covid and finally now… with the best team I could ever have asked for! Not least the wonderful Susie McKenna who is directing it with such care and love. I am a very lucky writer! I am very proud of this play and I cannot wait to see how our incredible creatives and cast bring it to life.

You can find out more information and book here

 Can you describe your writing day? Do you have a process or a minimum word count?

No writing day is the same for me. It absolutely depends on what I’m working on. One of the things that took me a while to realise was that a lot of “writing” isn’t actually writing. It’s thinking, watching, reading, going for walks, researching, talking. It’s all vital and absolutely part of the work even though it often feels like procrastination. 

A lot of my writing time is spent scrawling on a whiteboard in different coloured pens trying to figure out structure and plot and then sitting on the floor staring at it!! 

 Why and where do you write?

 I write because I want to tell important stories which present voices and characters we don’t get to see enough of. I write to provoke conversations and promote change. I write because I want to try and make sense of the world for myself and others.

I have an office at home with my big whiteboard on the wall and a lovely stand up desk. But there are some days where I need to be under a blanket on the sofa or on a coffee shop. One of my favourite places to work is Gladstone’s Library in North Wales. It is a silent library and it is an amazing place to research and read and write. 

 Your latest play was shortlisted in the Papatango New Writing Prize congratulations! Where did the initial spark for the play come from and can you update us on its development?

About ten years ago I had an idea for a play that asked the question “Why don’t we make the obvious choices to save the planet?” The idea was to look at a couple’s relationship falling apart because of choices, sacrifices, efforts that they hadn’t made for each other set against a backdrop of climate change. The idea was to highlight our brilliant ability to sabotage our own futures in both or personal and global lives. The play went through several iterations and finally, when I realised that what I really wanted to say was that we should be listening to the younger generation, I discovered what the story should be. 

Because the play was shortlisted for the Papatango Prize, I was incredibly lucky to have the chance to have a filmed reading of the play produced. The play is written to be performed bilingually in English and BSL so I worked with the brilliant Director Emily Howlett and a wonderful cast of Deaf and hearing actors who all speak BSL to work to create the translations and to make sure the communication between the Deaf and hearing characters feels believable. 

I’m now working with the wonderful Jafar Iqbal and we’re raising funds to do a longer R&D of the play and to work with Emily and a Deaf video designer to develop the visual aspects and creative captioning for the show.

In your spare time you are a Read for Good team member, the project supports young people in hospital to access reading , how did you come to be involved?

About 13 years ago I did a bit of volunteering at a children’s hospital school and from that I developed some projects to collect stories from children in hospital. Read For Good then approached the hospital, offering them visits from a storyteller and the hospital school headteacher recommended me. I started with one hospital and now regularly work in three hospitals, visiting children and their families, giving away free brand new books and also spending time telling and creating stories with them. It is an absolute privilege to spend time with these families often at really difficult times, hopefully bringing a bit of a smile. I would also say that I learn the best lessons about story from the young people who tell me stories. They are fearless in the creativity and it is very inspiring as a writer!! 

There are a range of organisations supporting Welsh and Wales-based writers. I wonder if you feel the current support network and career opportunities feel ‘healthy’ to you? Is it possible to sustain a career as a writer in Wales and if not what would help?

 There are some wonderful people and organisations supporting writers in Wales. The brilliant Branwen Davies and Alice Eklund who have just finished their time as the literary team at The Sherman were extraordinary and I look forward to seeing who steps into their shoes. Tamara Harvey and Liam Evans-Ford at Theatr Clwyd, along with Literary Associate Raphael Martin have been an incredible support for writers – especially since the pandemic. I was really fortunate to be part of their Writers in Residence scheme and to be commissioned to write for Curtain Up last year which commissioned 15 Welsh/Wales based writers to write short plays as soon as the theatre reopened. Angharad Lee of Leeway Productions is offering brilliant opportunities to writers wanting to develop musical theatre here in Wales and it’s been wonderful to watch the fruits of that these last two years. 

That said… there aren’t enough opportunities for commissions right now. I was lucky to be commissioned by WMC back in 2018 and to be commissioned by RWCMD/The Sherman to write for the NEW21 season but there are very few theatres in Wales commissioning new plays or even staging mid or large scale productions.

The Play On scheme set up by Theatr Clwyd, NTW and Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru means plays are being read and writers getting feedback but whether/when any of these plays will reach out stages is unclear. 

I would love to see Wales generally producing more work and that work touring Wales and beyond. 

 If you were able to fund an area of the arts in Wales what would this be and why?

 Audience development. Without some big steps forward in cultivating audiences, theatre in Wales will never be able to grow and therefore become somewhere that can sustain artists.

I would love to see a huge investment in audiences – whether that be a subsidising of theatre tickets or schemes to offer free tickets. We are entering a time where people are struggling to pay bills and eat. Theatre tickets are, for many, a luxury they can’t afford. But we know that the arts are a vital part of people’s social engagement and well-being and I would love to see us really make it possible for people to see and participate in more. 

 What excites you about the arts in Wales?

 The people! I am always inspired and energised by the artists I know and have the pleasure of working with. There is such an incredible creative energy in Wales and I am loving seeing a new generation starting to come through with exciting new ideas and ways of working.

I am also excited by the work we are doing here developing and championing accessible work and how creative captioning, BSL and audio description are becoming more and more embedded in our work. We definitely still have a way to go but it’s a great journey to be on. 

What was the last really great thing that you experienced that you would like to share with our readers?

I saw WMC’s A Boy With Two Hearts at the National Theatre in London last week. So wonderful to see a Welsh-made show about an immigrant family using English and Farsi and with wonderful creative captioning. And to see that having transferred and reaching an audience beyond Wales after two successful runs in Cardiff was brilliant! 

The show is beautiful and political and important and made me feel proud to live in Wales. 

(4 / 5)

JEZEBEL provides both a theatrical showcase & an artistic abstract preview on late 90’s to modern day Hip hop & its cultural loopholes!

Diving straight into how black women especially have been and continue to experimentally explore their bodily freeness, expression of art through a women’s untapped sexiness, sensual & rhythmic nature in catchy, loved music videos whilst splashing waves of controversy through sexual exploitation where we’re suddenly hit with the reality of pleasure & pain working in synchronicity.

JEZEBEL is performed, produced & choreographed by Cherish Menzo & Co-Produced by Frascati Producties. Jezebel is a dance performance which explores the themes of mental strain, sexual exploitation and the creativity of black music lyrically/rhythmically in dancehall and hip hop, as well as acceptance, acceptance of bodies & owning how it feels & appears to magnify confidence.

From video vixen imagery the audience metaphorically witness through Cherish’s dancing pure fiery sexual pleasure, nature & women divine energy. Whilst embodying a video vixens version of freedom of expression through sex via dance, passion & physical exhaustion. Cherish exhibits power wearing hot pink leather Spanx with a pink crop top, open legged poses and erotic, unleaded movements. If Jezebel’s aim is about video vixens coming into their own power this was transparent & harnessed well with female dominance.

The multimedia & incorporation of the lyrics like ‘OOchie Wally’ by Nas explicitly & unapologetically talks about sex & ‘Big Pimpin’ by Jayz is well remixed so we only get to hear Cherish’s voice – impressive! We heard soundtracks specifically produced for JEZEBEL from Artist composer; Michael Nunes, which helped to add a distinctive atmosphere & ambience; as we experienced gunshots, hypnotic motions and individuality.

From dark blue illuminated midst, dim to flashing lights, smokey haze to mysterious gaze on her bicycle to the reveal of fur coats, long nails, gold dentures & saliva drooling from Cherish’s mouth you can honestly expect the unexpected from all angles, delivering various perspectives.

JEZEBEL is attention gripping just as it were if you were watching an enticing music video filled with booty popping, dance sexual explosions & classic, authentic rapping. Eye opening on gender disparities in the music industry as well as negative connotations linked to women objectiveness, obsession & thrill, controversy & untapped battles Nubian women face in the lost language of hip hop culture!

(5 / 5)

Those who don’t know me personally will not be aware but when I am not travelling the length and breadth of Cardiff discovering new pieces of theatre, I am a secondary school-level English teacher. Before becoming allocated to a certain school I had spent a few months being sent across Wales covering for teachers (across all subjects) who were absent and so I have a few years of experience of working with young learners. In my humble and potentially controversial opinion, I think that the young people of this generation are very misunderstood! Having learnt about the personal situations and personal journeys that some of my students have had to experience (including the break up of family units, losing loved ones, and dealing with violent family members among other things) at such a young age is so shocking! Now don’t get me wrong, sometimes they can be extremely disruptive and frustrating but when you think about what they have had to get through to just get to school but if I was in their shoes I don’t think I would even be able to turn up never mind sat quietly and complete all work to the best of my ability! The reason this show is so powerful is not only for it being about an all too common story for young women but also it is told by a character who you could easily bump into when walking through your local city centre!

Growing up I was lucky enough to avoid the urge of wanting to go out to a nightclub without being of the legal age. Don’t get me wrong there would be moments where I would ask friends or family to get me drinks in a bar or for a house party (which I am absolutely not encouraging) but the idea of clubbing under age was not something that particularly excited me. However, some of my friends would sometimes borrow other people’s IDs so that they could get into a nightclub which in all honesty would often make me feel uneasy. One of the many things that this one lesson production does excellently is capture the excitement young people feel before hitting the town on a night out including the sacred pre-drinks rituals that are silently passed down from generations before them. The play starts by showing Destiny as she is preparing for her first-ever night out despite being only fifteen years old. This night goes off with a bang as she feels the euphoric rush of slight intoxication mixed with the thunderous music/flashing lights as Destiny and her close friend enter Karma which is the hottest club in town! As the night progresses and the cheap drinks continue to our however this experience takes a turn for the worst as Destiny falls out with her best friend and decides to run away with a newly found lover she discovered in the club. In the passionate (and drunken) haze they decide that a car park would be the perfect place to solidify their love but are interrupted by two men who violently assault both Destiny and her partner with the former being not only physically but also sexually. As out titular character is dealing with this horrendous attack, her mother begins to become more and more distant leading to her having to move into a shared living space with a bunch of strangers and yet this continues her journey through college and still attempts to peruse her dreams!

‘Destiny’ the play is interestingly a one-person play that is entirely performed by the amazing Florence Espeut-Nickless who seems to excel under the pressure of being the only person on stage! If it was me I know that I would find the pressure of carrying an entire show extremely overwhelming but Florence did not seemed fazed in the slightest. This relatable character begins the show as an brash and extremely headstrong character but as the story progresses the audience grows to develop a massive sense of sympathy towards Destiny with everyone watching being pulled into the world being created in front of them. Florence Espeut-Nickless was able to really showcase her incredible acting abilities within this role with the West Country vernacular used by Destiny to the on-stage breakdowns perfectly captured by Florence through convincing hyperventilating and floods of tears running down her face. It sounds like a strange thing to say but this production was only an hour long but felt so good much longer but in a positive way. I had totally lost an concept of time and actually forgot that I was watching a piece of theatre that has been performed multiple times in succession. To me, the show transcends the idea of simply watching a play but instead you are watching a familiar characters unfolding in front of the audience’s eyes with a story that has become all to frequent in modern life.