A digital reproduction of the flyer (front & back) advertising Siren’s play ‘Now Wash Your Hands Please’. The play opened at the Nightingale Theatre in Brighton, and was directed by Sue Saunders. Siren was joined by a new company member, Hilary Ramsden, for this play and for future Siren plays. Jane Boston did not perform in this play.

A newspaper about Siren Theatre Company in the Brighton & Hove Gazette Newspaper in 1983 concerning the group receiving a loan of £2500 from Midland Bank to produce their album. The article inaccurately says Siren formed “eight months ago”, which would have been in 1982, but Siren actually started in 1979 and produced their first play (with music) in 1980. The article referred to the Midland Bank in Dyke Road as being ‘behind Brighton’s lesbian rock band’. The bank was actually not aware that it was lending money to a lesbian band, which in 1983 was not a trendy thing to do!

Digital scan of a Brighton Leader Newspaper Article about a Siren performance of their play 'Hotel Destiny' at The Nightingale in Brighton, 1987. This shows a photo of Jane Boston as the character ‘Chance’ in Siren’s play ‘Hotel Destiny’. The photo was taken by Anita Corbin (but the photo is not of Ms Corbin, as wrongly described). The preview was for the opening of ‘Hotel Destiny’ at the Nightingale Theatre in Brighton.

This is one of a number of posters used to promote Siren’s play ‘Mama’s Gone A’Hunting’. It is created in the form of an urgent telegram outlining the plot of the show, stating that woman intends leaving for a new planet without man. The digitally produced poster was felt to be a ‘new’ form of photography at the time that it was on the high street, predating all the digitisation of photos that are now done on one’s own devices. Siren felt it reflected the futuristic content of the play.

A handmade flyer for Siren Theatre Company's performance 'Mamas Gone A Hunting'.

This shows the programme cover of the pay Pulp. The programme shows a number of adverts, including from prominent lesbian organisations, such as Rackets, Dimples and Lesbian Line, as well as feminist companies such as Silver Moon bookshop Women’s Press. Nalgo (National and Local Government Officers Union) took out a full page advert supporting lesbian and gay rights. The programme promotes Siren’s cabaret show ‘Chic to Chic”, as well as their cassette ‘Siren in Queer Street’ and vinyl record ‘Siren Plays’. Page 4 & page 8 have the lyrics of seven sounds from Pulp, which were written by Jane Boston, and performed live by Siren. Page 5 has the Company Policy and a description of the play ‘Pulp’. It also shows some excerpts from reviews of previous plays. The play was directed and choreographed by Noelle Janaczewska. The artwork and layout of the programme was by Jenny Millington.

This image set depicts the cover, front and back, and cassette tape of Siren’s music release ‘Siren in Queerstreet’. It shows a list of the 13 tracks on the cassette, which included songs from some of the plays as well as songs composed by various members of Siren, and performed by Siren band. The tape was recorded at Newhaven Boys’ Club and at Real Time Studio Billingshurst. Cover photo by Susy Taylor. This cassette was a mixture of home recording done by Deb Trethewey on a two track Sony reel-to-reel tape recorder, as well as some professionally recorded tracks at recording studios.

This black and white photo shows Jane Boston, Jude Winter, Tash Fairbanks and Deb Trethewey checking the map before heading off somewhere for a performance. This photo was taken in front of Siren’s ancient touring van. On one tour, Siren went from venue to venue on the back of an AA van, due to constant breakdown problems with the vehicle.

Two reviews about the play ‘Curfew’ when it opened at the Oval House Theatre, London. The review at the top of the image is from 'Spare Rib', published in March 1982. It features a photo of Jane Boston as Calamity Jane. The review at the bottom of the photo is from 'The Stage', published in February 1982.

Digital reproduction of the cover of Spare Rib, and the review of Siren’s show ‘From the Divine’. The reviewer, Liz Horsfield, writes that Lily is far more interested in Ruby [or}“is it me being a lesbian that makes me think so?” No matter how ‘out’ Siren was as a company, it perhaps wasn’t always obvious to the audience or reviewers.

This shows a two-page letter from a young lesbian about to take her A-levels after seeing the play ‘Pulp’. This poignant letter reveals how hard it was to be identified as a lesbian at this time.

This shows a letter written after the play ‘Now Wash Your Hands Please’ to South East Regional Arts Association, asking for support and recognition for Siren to enable them to reach wider audiences.

This shows a letter of appreciation written after Siren had performed ‘Mama’s Gone A’Hunting’ at Boundstone School. The letter highlights that pupils staff and friends were impressed by the …’stimulating thought provoking performance'.

This shows a letter of appreciation from the Organiser of the theatre in Cricklade after seeing the play ‘From the Divine’.

This shows a preview of “From the Divine’ which was performed at The Millfield House Arts Centre in Edmonton, London. Ticket prices were shown as £1.75 full price or £1.15 concessionary fare.