The Limerick Lady 65: Dr Emma Fisher-Owen: Theatre-Designer, Animator, and Master Of Puppets

As we said back in April, we knew it was coming, it was inevitable, we said: it's gonna be May. And here it is! Hello!  This month we spoke to Dr Emma Fisher-Owen; writer, theatre designer, puppeteer and stop-motion animator. We spoke to Emma about her love of "promenade" theatre; about using 860 storage boxes to create the set for the recent production of "Handle With Care"; about "coming out" as disabled through her PhD show "Pupa"; and about the amazing meet-cute that brought her and her husband and partner in creative crime together, and led them to creating their company Beyond The Bark.  Emma got her PhD from Mary Immaculate College in 2018 in puppetry and disability. She has recently been nominated for best set design at the Dublin Fringe 2023 for What is Not Ours to Carry (Ali Clarke). She set up Beyond the Bark, an inclusive animation and puppet theatre in 2006 that creates work for old and young audiences, and has co-created and designed a number of Ceol Connected shows for young audiences including The Land of a Hundred Little Hills which just finished touring Ireland. Her film Marcach Dearg funded by the Arts Council Covid Award won best animated short at the Richard Harris International Film Festival 2021 and was a finalist for the Montreal Independent Film Festival in 2021. Emma was nominated Irish Times Set Designer in 2010 for Revengers Tragedy (Bottom Dog) and Don Juan in Hell (Limerick Hub).  She can be found at https://beyondthebark.squarespace.com/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@beyondthebarkireland Twitter: Emcfisher  Instagram: beyondthebarkpuppets The Limerick Lady is a grassroots movement based in Limerick, Ireland, with a focus on promoting conversation around gender, visibility, gender balance and the arts. It was founded in 2016 by award-winning (and losing) singer-songwriter Emma Langford, who hosts the podcast alongside fellow award-winning (and losing) Limerick woman, theatre-maker and musician Ann Blake. Find the Limerick Lady Podcast on all your favourite streaming platforms. New episodes drop once a month, on the third Thursday (or Thirdsday, if you will). The Limerick Lady is supported by The Limerick Post Newspaper. Support the Limerick Post at www.limerickpost.ie