1.This shows the cover of a book of three plays by Siren; Curfew, Pulp and Now Wash Your Hands Please. The cover is a photo of Jude Winter as Wonder Woman in the play Curfew.
"After Siren had stopped performing, many academics published books on early feminist lesbian theatre in the UK. Key academic feminist theatre historians, Elaine Aston and Gabrielle Griffin interviewed the members of Siren for the book. Siren, at the time of Pulp, was Jane Boston, Tash Fairbanks, Hilary Ramsden, Jude Winter and Debra Trethewey. This book is still available to purchase in a variety of bookshops and online."
2. This is the frontispiece for the play Curfew, devised by Siren, scripted by Tasha Fairbanks, which opened at The Nightingale Theatre, Brighton 1982. It was directed by the company. It also shows the frontispiece for the play ‘Now Wash Your Hands Please’, scripted by Tasha Fairbanks from discussion and workshops with Siren. The play opened at The Nightingale Theatre, Brighton in 1984. It was directed by Sue Saunders.
"Siren was joined by a new actor, Hilary Ramsden for the play, Now Wash Your Hands Please. She remained as part of Siren until the company disbanded in 1990."
3. This describes the set as a giant toilet seat.
4. Photo credit Dianne Ceresa
This shows a photograph of Jane Boston as Charlene, Jude Winter as Fi and Tasha Fairbanks as Tracey from the play Curfew, which opened at The Nightingale Theatre, Brighton in 1982.
"The play ‘Curfew’ is set in the future in a lesbian club. The set, which was designed by Deb Trethewey, was a cage-like child’s climbing frame, indicating women were getting nowhere. The only other design feature onstage was a large black box with a bright X shaped light, set up high, and was there to remind women that everything was forbidden unless sanctioned by men. The play opened in 1982, a few years before Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale was published."
5. Photo credit Anita Corbin
This shows a photo of Tasha Fairbanks as Dolores from the play Pulp. It was directed by Noelle Janaczewska and opened at The Drill Hall in London in 1985.
"As with Curfew, Pulp dealt with the issue of how you live as a lesbian in a society that vilifies homosexuality. As research for Pulp, Siren read a lot of lesbian pulp fiction from the ‘50s (no hardship there!). The novels were full of transgressive, obsessive lesbians and their, almost always, disastrous liaisons, played out in dim basement bars."
