In the period between 2004 and 2014, I have developed six autobiographical solo performances, three of which form a part of my practice as research PhD studies ‘(Dis)Identifying Female Archetypes in Live Art’ at Lancaster University (Medea/Mothers’ Clothes, Magdalena Makeup and Joan Trial) and three of which have been developed through the help of the Arts Council England and Bluecoat in Liverpool (Masha Serghyeevna), Hab Word of Warning programme for the development of contemporary performance in Manchester (1994), and the Institute for the Art and Practice of Dissent at Home (40 Minutes).
- 40 Minutes (2014) was a domestic performance celebrating Lena’s 40th birthday, which took place at the Institute for the Art and Practice of Dissent at Home on 29 November 2014.
- 1994 (2013) was a homage to Kurt Cobain, lost youth, impossible and failed encounters from a life lived retrospectively; it was first developed at emergency festival at Z-Arts, commissioned by Works Ahead for further development and presented at Contact in Manchester in 2013.
- Masha Serghyeevna (2009) was a re-working of Anton Chekhov’s Three Sisters into a solo performance based around the middle sister, Masha Serghyeevna; it was first developed at the Bluecoat in Liverpool with the support of Arts Council England .
- Joan Trial (2005) was a re-figuration of Joan of Arc that challenged assumptions about heroism and Catholic upbringing; it was supported by the Arts Council England, the Arts and Humanities Research Council and first presented in in the Nuffield Theatre, Lancaster.
- Magdalena Makeup (2004) was an exploration of Mary Magdalene whore archetype, transnationalism and family history; it was devised for two communities: Art Workshop Lazareti, Dubrovnik, Croatia and Old Police Station, Lark Lane Community Centre, Liverpool, UK.
- Medea/Mothers’ Clothes (2004) was an exploration of the Medea myth and Motherhood through the intimate and autobiographical portrayal of herself and a group of contemporary local mothers from Liverpool toddler’s groups; it was supported by Arts Council England and first presented at the Bluecoat, before its national and international tour.
Lena Simic 