In Conversation with Neylon and Peele | The Beep Test

In this week's Backstage Blog, we take a moment to catch up with Jackson Peele and Conor Neylon on their upcoming show, The Beep Test! These phenomenal creators talk us through the process so far, and what audiences should expect.

Q. What should audiences expect when they come to see The Beep Test?

A. Audiences should expect ridiculous fast paced tight 55 minutes of musical theatre bangers, 2000s Australian high school nostalgia, a very cast of talented actors working their butts off and (if we’ve done our job) a little surprising emotional punch!

Q. As a revival, have you made some changes? Or are you staying true to the original version of the show?

A. It’s very much containing a lot of the essence and intimacy of the original version of the show with some small improvements and a larger scale. We’ve been looking at where the work can provide characters more depth and of course embracing a new energy with a new playing space and new cast! We’ve also got a new set design and the addition of a small band too. It’s an exciting challenge!

Q. What inspired you to write this show?

A. Conor Neylon, my writing partner, came to me with this idea! Initially we put it together for a mini-10 minute musical at our university cabaret festival and it kept finding a life afterwards. The writing is very much influenced by the experience of growing up in Australia in the 2000s and the kind of people we grew up with, the people that exist within these spaces. The work contains parts of my experience being in high school, playing junior football, trying to fit in etc, and the love Conor and I share for musical theatre.

Q. What do you hope audiences take away after seeing The Beep Test?

A. I hope that it’s different for everyone. Hopefully the work is nuanced enough that it varies from person to person. It’s a comedy so primarily, I hope people are entertained and have a great time, and if they get anything more than that’s great! That’s all!

Actually I lied… I feel I always have a secret agenda with the work Conor and I do. If I’m completely honest, I really hope ‘The Beep Test’ helps convert any musical skeptics; any people who feel like they don’t understand musicals or don’t like them. It’s such a diverse art-form and I think some people have shows that have left a sour taste. So if there was one thing the work could achieve I’d hope it could change the mind of any musical skeptics! That they could think, ‘hey I enjoyed that!’

Q. What has been the most memorable moment throughout this rehearsal process?

A. Rehearsals have just started, but that first read was so exciting! A highlight so far has been the auditions. So many people really just gave their all and jumped straight into embracing the ridiculousness of the text and some of my bonkers direction. It made our job very very hard to pick from all the hardworking generous talented performers.

---

This fast-paced sprint is selling fast, so make sure you get your tickets before it's too late! They open next month, on May 1 at Theatre Works! Click the link below to secure your seats now.

Get your tickets here!