This shows two reviews, from The Stage and The Scotsman of Siren’s Play ‘Mama’s Gone A’Hunting”. The Stage review was completed at The Marlborough in Brighton and the Scotsman at University Chaplaincy Centre in Edinburgh. The Stage reviewer queried the choice of the name Siren, saying it seems odd for a company ‘promoting the feminist cause’. Given that the origin of Siren in Greek mythology was a creature (part woman, part bird) who lured sailors to destruction by the sweetness of her song, the company felt that this was a very appropriate name for the company, which combined feminism and music to make their radical points!

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.

Social and peer support group, Sister Act, produced a monthly newsletter in the 1990s and early 2000s for and by lesbians in Cambridge and East Anglia, and this is a scan of one edition. It was a lifeline for a circulation list of 150-200 women of all ages, helping to create a genuine community for closeted gay women and out-and-proud dykes alike, at a time when their lives and concerns were much debated in parliament and the media. I was editor for a while, and lived from one women's disco to the next, meeting partners and friends who would remain in my life for decades. Nowadays I'm experiencing deja vu having to navigate the pros and cons of coming out all over again and finding a new community as a trans man, now living near Brighton.

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 is a review of two plays, 'Mama’s Gone A’Hunting' and 'Curfew', which were performed on two consecutive nights in St Ives at The Parish Rooms. As well as commenting on the performers acting ability, the review highlighted the lighting of both plays, as being harsh and beautiful.

Postcard advertising The Dyke and the Pornstar 'A sexually explicit drama of a young butch's obsession with a femme top lesbian pornstar'. Dates from 1990s

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.

The preview has an interview with Jane Boston who played Magda. Salvadori describes the play as "a homage to Fifties B-movies with ladykillers, Mafia plots, and McCarthy conspiracies. But it's also a parody, poking fun at the femme fatale image and the clean cut freshness of stars like Doris Day."

The review was written after a performance at the Old Bull Centre, Barnet. The article is headlined "Wickedly Clever", and Leeb describes Siren Theatre Company as a "committed, courageous, refreshingly honest, and highly versatile trio".

The review was written after a performance at Hoxton Hall, London. The writer has endless praise for Siren, concluding that "the show exemplifies female humour as its sharpest - acidic and biting enough to be felt, but never allowed to become cynical or had-bitten. As a group, Siren are a lively and seemingly endless source of talent, completely self-contained as actresses, singers, writers and musicians."