Performing the Fractured Puppet Self Employing auto-ethnopuppetry to portray and challenge cultural and personal constructions of the disabled body by Emma C. Fisher Supervisor: Doctor Michael Finneran A thesis submitted for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Drama and Theatre Studies Mary Immaculate College (Coláiste Mhuire Gan Smál) University of Limerick Ph.D. ABSTRACT This research project examines personal and cultural constructs of the disabled body, with the creation of the puppet play Pupa as its practical culmination. The testimonials of six participants (including my own), all from artists with a disability or deaf artists, are the inspiration for Pupa. The qualitative research methodology used within this research combines ethnographic methods, auto-ethnography, practice-based research and narrative enquiry. I have adapted auto-ethnography by combining it with puppetry to coin new methodologies; ‘ethnopuppetry’ and ‘auto-ethnopuppetry’. Inspired by fairytales, Pupa creates a fantastical world where the narratives of the participants find expression through a range of puppet characters. These testimonies examine what it is to identify with a disabled identity, and to ‘come out’ as disabled. It looks at how we perceive ourselves as disabled, and how we feel others perceive us. Creating a piece of theatre based around disabled identity led me to investigate the history of disabled performers, and historical depictions of disabled characters within theatre, fairytales and freak-shows, in order to see how they influence societal beliefs around disability today. Within the practice element of this research, I experimented with unconventionally constructed puppets, as well as puppeteering my own disabled limb with an exo-skeleton, in order to question how I view disability in my own body. This research tracks my changing perceptions of my body. It charts my journey from viewing my disabled arm as an object, to seeing the exo-skeleton as an additional arm by incorporating it into my body schema, to then accepting my disabled arm as part of my body again. 1 The research participants become the composer, actor, songwriter, and choreographers of Pupa, and their stories are at the forefront of this research. I situate my practice-based research among other contemporary puppet theatre performances which centre around the disabled voice. The research reveals that disabled artists have only begun to puppeteer their own stories in the last few years, and that this area remains largely under-researched. By tracing the journey of my disability within this piece of theatre; from able-bodied, to ‘abelist’, to claiming my identities, and finally ‘coming out’ as disabled, I aspire to bring to light and through so doing, to subvert ableist perceptions of the disabled body. Keywords: puppetry, disability, identity, body, narrative inquiry, auto-ethnopuppetry, ethnopuppetry. 2 Declaration I, Emma Fisher, declare that this thesis is my own work and has never been previously submitted by me or any other individual for the purpose of obtaining a qualification. Signed: Emma Fisher ___________________________ Date: 24-7-2018 ___________________________ 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my supervisor Dr Michael Finneran for his unwavering guidance and support. From our first chat over coffee to our much longer conversations, he has guided me through the laughter and tears throughout this research. All the while, helping me untangle the confused train of thought in my head by asking ‘why’? Special recognition must go to my fantastic team of Pupa. Thomas Baker who came on board to direct, advise, perform and help make the exo-skeleton. Documentary-maker, Dominik Kosicki from RedPaw desearves thanks for his painstaking interviews and filming of the whole process. To Conor Madden for his performance and for the numerous chats which helped shape this research and the play. To Ivan Owen for travelling 7000km to design the exo-skeleton. To Gunther Berkus for his beautiful composition and insights. To Gemma Morris for her beautiful costume designs, for her chats and cups of tea, and when needed, whiskey. To Sheila Stone for taking my porcelain figure idea and working tirelessly to make it happen. Colin Bartley is the man who can make anything out of wood, and who did so for this show. To my sister, Eve Fisher and to Emma Mac for assisting in the design and building in any way they could. To Patrick O’Brien for his heart-felt and hilarious songs; and to Kathleen Turner for helping to write and sing the female parts. To Kay Yasugi for her endless stream of reading suggestions, as well as her magical shadow puppet designs. To Zara Starr for coming on board as assistant director, and to Tara Doolan production manager extraordinaire, Shane Hickey-O’Mara for stage-managing, and Ken Coleman for his beautiful graphic design and photographs of the zoetrope. To Deirdre Corry and Kimberley Cooper for their perspectives and choreography. Special thanks to Lisa Cahill, Boris Hunka, Larissa Manley, Liam Byrne, Luke Frawley, Conor 4 Cusack, Jean McGlynn, Maria Larkin, Seamus Ryan, Little Forbes, Mario Beck and Kevin O’Keeffe. To my dear friends: Stephen Hanks, Katie Verling, Alan McAuliffe, Norma Lowney, and Thomas Johnston. Thank you for proof-reading my thesis, making sure I made sense and tirelessly correcting my grammar and spelling. To all those that helped me revise sections; Séan McElwain, Karen Fisher, and Stephen Murry, thank you all for your time and effort. My sincere thanks to my Mom and Dad, Rose and Charlie Fisher for their unwavering support. To my sisters Tracy Branch, Eve Fisher and Jenny Troake, brothers Bob and Charlie Fisher, sister-in-law Karen Fisher, and brothers-in-law Nigel Branch, Paul Troake and Roger Hinga: thank you for not only for your moral support, but for turning up to help build, weave, and paint my set and puppets, for feeding me, and helping with transport. I would like to thank my partner-in-crime, Ivan Owen for his loving support, friendship and imaginings. To my nieces and nephew Ciaran, Grace, Seanagh, Ellie and Rosie: thank you for making me laugh and not take myself too seriously. Each and every one of you made this journey an easier and more joyful one. For your endless support and encouragement, thank you to my Ladygirls. To the Memens (my river swimming group) Great White, Ginger, Raven and Platinum; without my early plunge into the River Shannon, I would have not been able to function. To Ciaran Nash for making sure I was fed and caffeinated. To my fantastic physiotherapist, Roisin Coyle for relieving the pain so I could write. And thanks also to my amazing doctor Professor Ralph Birch, my occupational therapist Kathryn Johnson and Eileen Reinhardt. 5 To Marketa Dowling for her belief in Pupa and to the entire Belltable/ Lime Tree Theatre team: Louise Donlon, Jay Kavanagh, Gary Lysaght, Gill Fenton, Sharon Kiely and Sean Lynch. To Gavin Kostick from Fishamble for his mentorship as part of the Belltable Connect /Fishamble scheme, and for his dramaturgical support with The New play Clinic. Thanks also to the team at Fab Lab Limerick and the Future Artist Makers. Thank you to the Drama and Theatre Studies Department at MIC: Michael Finneran, Fiona McDonagh, Aideen Wylde, David Clare and Carole Quigley. I would like to thank Mary Immaculate College and all the wonderful friends I have met there. A huge thank you to Dorothy Morrissey whose chats in her office brought auto-ethnopuppetry into existence. A very special mention must go to Aideen Wylde and Dr. Fiona McDonagh, thank you for listening, offering me advice, supporting me through this entire process and for believing in me, even at the times when I didn’t believe in myself. Thank you to Darren Barry, Cillian McHugh, Margaret Browne, Vicky Brady, Andreas Pargger, Paul McNamara, Brita Jung, Colleen Granger, Siobhan Griffin, Chloe Beatty, Aoife McInerney, Sandra Ryan, Godfrey Katumba, Derek Mulcahy, Tanya Carey, Arne Ruffer, Dave Loughnane and Lorenzo Girardi to name but a few of the amazing postgrads in Mary Immaculate College. My thanks to Caroline Astell Burt for teaching and sharing her knowledge around all things puppetry. To Cariad Astles, all the UNIMA Research Commission and Laura Purcell Gates, for sharing with me their love of puppetry research. A special thank you to my examiners Melissa Trimingham and Mel Mercier for taking the time and effort to read this thesis and watch Pupa and for giving the feedback that led to this thesis being the best it could be. To all my friends and family thank you. 6 Dedicated to Moira Brady Averill 7 The Prelude All moveables of wonder, from all parts, Are here—Albinos, painted Indians, Dwarfs, The Horse of knowledge, and the learned Pig, The Stone-eater, the man that swallows fire, Giants, Ventriloquists, the Invisible Girl, The Bust that speaks and moves its goggling eyes, The Wax-work, Clock-work, all the marvellous craft Of modern Merlins, Wild Beasts, Puppet-shows, All out-o’-the-way, far-fetched, perverted things, All freaks of nature, all Promethean thoughts Of man, his dullness, madness, and their feats All jumbled up together, to compose A Parliament of Monsters. Tents and Booths Meanwhile, as if the whole were one vast mill, Are vomiting, receiving on all sides, Men, Women, three-years’ Children, Babes in arms. Oh, blank confusion! true epitome Of what the mighty City is herself, To thousands upon thousands of her sons, Living amid the same perpetual whirl Of trivial objects, melted and reduced To one identity, by differences That have no law, no meaning, and no end Oppression, under which even highest minds Must labour, whence the strongest are not free. But though the picture weary out the eye, By nature an unmanageable sight, It is not wholly so to him who looks In steadiness, who hath among least things An under-sense of greatest; sees the parts As parts, but with a feeling of the whole.