PEOPLE AND COMMUNITY
In conversation with
Megan Twycross1. You have always pursued avenues for self and communal creative expression through theatre in your roles as a playwright, director and in your current work at Find Your Voice Collective- a ‘disability led arts company’- what has led you into pursuing this type of work? And what meaning does this work have for you.
I was feeling burnt out from being a teacher in the public school sector for 10 years. I loved being a drama teacher but the teaching profession wasn’t conducive to family life. There was also an element of something I can’t quite explain, a drive to write plays and create theatrical work, which for me just feels innate. I remember when my first born was just a baby, I sat down and wrote a whole play, my husband would take our daughter for a walk and I wrote and wrote, it felt like a bit of a pressure release. I finished and felt so much lighter. That play went away for a few years and then came out again when I got the confidence to start sharing my work. The same occurred when I had my second baby too. I was rocking his crib with one hand and writing a play with the other. Maybe I wanted to write for the intellectual stimulation, because when babies are young it can be quite gruelling.
Community is really important for me. Being a mum can feel really isolating so the community aspect of making theatre is the best. It’s nice to find community that isn’t only centred around the needs of your children and household. Finding community where you come together for a common goal feels really amazing.
2. What ambitions, dreams and desires do you have for your professional/ personal/ familial growth?
If you’d asked me this a few years back when I was still teaching I would’ve said, exactly where I am now. Which I can see is really lucky! The kids are happy in their small community in regional Victoria, Australia. I have a fantastic part-time job in which I get to have autonomy over my work-life balance and create every day. My husband gets to run his small business which has flexible hours also, which really helps around family life. I’ve recently started piano lessons, which has unlocked a valve in my heart, so to speak. It’s just basic chords but it allows me to sing my heart out over the piano and accompany myself. Great for when I feel stuck at home. Singing is also a great endorphins release, did you know that?! Physiologically, breathing out impacts the parasympathetic nervous system, singing in a group is even better, apparently, you might have to google that one, ha. In my professional work, I would really like to get my plays out there, connect with the professional theatre world in Australia. For my family, I just want resilient, happy and healthy kids, which I think is a real blessing and particularly after COVID lockdowns when my little girl was in her first year at school and I had a toddler. That was tough.
3. You have used your roles as mediums to inspire social change. What social change do you feel needs to happen/ what social change do you feel passionate about? How do you feel this will be helpful for people and communities?
A few years back, I remember feeling really tired and annoyed. I kept wanting to change things (systems, education systems, health systems etc..) and it felt like it was impossible. I’m really lucky that Tom, who was at the time, running the Find Your Voice Choir, and who is now my colleague, approached me in a cafe about 3-4 years ago and asked if I wanted to work with his new start up. I thought it was too good to be true. I think start-up culture is great because it shows people how things can be done differently and you can create your own work culture. I can now see the social change every day I walk in to work. The impact on peoples lives, on their confidence, on their feeling of connection. Our shows promote advocacy and aim to educate audiences who don’t know much about the lived experience of disability. An Australian director I love says ‘it’s harder to hurt someone if you know their story’ and that’s so true, arts/theatre/writing can help change attitudes because it promotes empathy.
4. We tend to think of ourselves in terms of fixed linear identities and roles but we all occupy multiple evolving and simultaneous ones. What are your various roles and how do you integrate the various roles and identities you have for yourself and with your family.
I’m a mother, creator, singer, friend, playwright, theatre maker, teacher, mentor, student, yogi, wife, renovator, carer, the list could go on! I don’t know if I’m very good at integrating them, to be honest. I find a new passion and I don’t juggle all the other things very well, the house work always suffers and potentially my patience. Unfortunately, I feel like my relationship with my husband suffers sometimes, but I’m hoping that once both kids are at school, things might get a bit easier. I definitely know that my identity is fluid and I feel even more fluid than others sometimes .I’m a bit of a ‘changling', but maybe everyone feels that way and as a society we just don’t talk about it. It could be a good topic for a play actually.
5. What resources, practices and approaches do you use to support yourself and your creative endeavours.
Now that I’m lucky enough to be a working creative and I know that not everyone is able to have this luxury, I do need to hire a cleaner for the house. My mum also helps with the kids sometimes, she lives down the road from us which is great, and my husband can be flexible in his work. We’re lucky in that we live close by to our school and community and we don’t have to commute much, this streamlines our use of time, because it’s all about buying yourself time to get things in for you. Do that however you can. Fill that cup!
6. What does wellbeing mean for you? For your family?
I feel like wellbeing for us has come down to feeling connected emotionally to our neighbours, community, family, friends. My work gives us a community as well, the kids are welcome to sing in the choir, come and see the shows/exhibitions, be inspired artistically. I feel like religions and churches would’ve given this to lots of people in the past and now we need to fill this void in other ways, the arts is a great way to do this!! We also live near the beach, which is pretty thereaputic and we have lots of furry pets.
7. Do you have any principles or philosophies that you use to guide you personally or professionally in your decision making and actions.
Do what you love. Trust your gut. I trusted my gut and whilst it was really hard trying to balance my old job of teaching with this new phase in my life, it’s been sooo worth it now. It was hard work and just because I’ve changed professions doesn’t mean I’m working any less, in fact, I’m probably working more but it doesn’t feel like a grind, it doesn’t feel like work, so that’s a massive win.
8. Where have you faced the greatest challenges in your various roles/ life. How have you faced these?
I suppose married life is really hard when you have little people. I don’t really have an answer for this, but I think making sure you find something that fullfills you, outside of the relationship and not put that pressure on your partner, that’s really important. They are only human. It will make you happier and everyone happier around you, including your family.
9. Where have you perceived/ felt your greatest triumphs.
Watching other people succeed when they are performing! That’s why I love being a director instead of an actor. Or a playwright. You don’t have the pressure of performing in front of people AND you get to watch others succeed and blossom. Also, birthing my children. Wow. That has changed the way I see my body and all the wonderful things it is capable of.
10. Where do you find comfort and joy?
Holding my cat. I love her!
11. Do you have anything else you would like to comment, is there any particular passions, things close to your heart or feelings central to your work , or as a mother/ women/ person that you would like to share or be asked about?
I’ve found self compassion for me is key and sleep, never underestimate the importance of sleep. Now that my children are finally sleeping through, sometimes, I feel like I’m still making up for the time when they were young and those hours of breastfeeding. I go to bed early and don’t put pressure on myself to get up super early to exercise or whatever. Finding the right community, a place where people love you and your family and the way you parent, just as you are, has been really cathartic and liberating for me and they do exist!
Find Megan on social media here: @mttheatre
14/07/2023
