Episode 12 - Kevin Keogh on Necessary Rest Periods, Questioning Hierarchical Structures, and All the Additional Movement Involved in Creative Process

In this episode, Megan is joined by Irish theatre maker Kevin Keough for a thoughtful conversation on movement, sustainability, and care across an artist’s career. Speaking from a period of creative dormancy after completing a three-year project, Kevin reflects on rest as an active and necessary part of artistic practice, sharing how slowing down and engaging in quieter, hands-on projects has helped him recover from burnout.Together, they trace Kevin’s journey into theatre — from a formative early experience of live performance to training as an actor and evolving into a theatre maker and director. Kevin discusses his commitment to making theatre more accessible, questioning traditional hierarchies while also acknowledging the role of structure, leadership, and discipline in collaborative creative processes.The conversation expands into the realities of freelance artistic life: funding pressures, collaboration, emotional labor, and the often unseen movement involved in planning, administration, and sustaining a body and mind under long-term creative stress. Megan and Kevin explore how care, listening, and adaptability are essential tools for maintaining longevity and integrity in creative work.