>>2001 – History

Changes afoot

Late 1995 had seen another change of name. This time Gayna re-incorporated her given name of ‘Florence’ into her name, calling herself Gayna Florence Perry, the latter after the sparkling drink. Visits to her home town of Liverpool had begun to form a notion of a return there: by November 1996, that year the decision was made.

Moving away from London

Gayna returned to Liverpool in 1997, buying a house which turned out to be something of a project. She was still commuting to London to fulfil contracts until mid 1997.

After this, while the house was gradually being renovated (much, due to dwindling finances, eventually carried out by her) she had little alternative but to take a full-time job as a project manager for a university. She had little opportunity to take part in producing any music.

Strange Attractors (In Light) Ltd

In 2000 Gayna set up her current company, ‘Strange Attractors (In Light) Ltd’, with co-director Andy Maslivec.

The intention was to stage and promote events featuring local artists and venues.

‘It’s my party’

In March 2000 a preview of her first musical play, featuring her own songs and music, was staged as part of the International Women’s Festival in Liverpool. In December 2000 she performed the lead herself in the first run of the one-woman show, entitled ‘It’s my party’ , in the ‘Wine, women and song’ festival.

In Jan-Feb 2001 a finalised version of the play was staged at the Unity Theatre, Liverpool.

The publicity read: Can women be themselves while being with others?

“This is a light-hearted, dark-centred look at relating in the context of a fast moving, ever-changing modern world. The narrative musical opening piece ‘Poison’ inhabits that small space between post-feminist statement and James Bond theme and sets the scene for an innovative, multi-media musical play.

Charting a course through the traps women and men can set for themselves, ‘It’s my party’ follows one woman’s journey through the field of personal relationships. Discovering every available pothole by falling down it, she ultimately emerges intact but not unscathed, looking for more but not more of the same.

A musical story of hope and much more than survival, told with wit, insight and retrospective wisdom, this new work features original script, music, lyrics, photography and visual art, while acknowledging current and recent cultural iconography. Visual images include work by established artists such as Kev Stafford, Sarah Nicholson  and Steve Best, with pieces from his internationally famous range of ‘Bestie’ cards.”