Black Box – New Australian Musical || Paul Hodge

The Fame Reporter interviewed Australian writer and composer of brand-new musical ‘Black Box’, Paul Hodge, the show played its World Premiere at the Cremorne Theatre, QPAC in Brisbane.

Black Box is Queenslander Paul Hodge’s ground-breaking new musical based on the extraordinary true story of David Warren, the Australian inventor who created the black box flight recorder that is now on every plane around the globe.

Driven by the death of his father in an unexplained plane crash when he was eight, Black Box follows David as he fights for an invention that could record the final moments of a flight before it crashes – the black box. His obsession around this invention places his career, marriage and mind at risk. It’s a show about memory, and how we hold onto, and let go of, those we love.

We sat down with Paul and talked about the background of this new musical, why he wanted to bring this Australian story to the stage and more.

Welcome to The Fame Reporter, can you share what initially drew you to the story of David Warren and his invention of the black box flight recorder? What inspired you to turn this story into a musical?
I had read an article about the 20 greatest inventions that Australia has given the world and the black box was number 1 on the list. I saw that David’s father had died in a plane crash, giving the show an emotional engine. It was through David’s love of music that he thought of his invention so I thought it would suit being a musical.

As a Queenslander, how thrilled are you to have the World Premiere of this brand-new Australian Musical open at Brisbane’s QPAC?
I couldn’t be happier that the show is having its premiere in my home town of Brisbane!

The concept of memory seems to be a central theme in “Black Box.” How did you approach incorporating this theme into the narrative and the music of the show?
The recordings of the black box are essentially recorded memories. There are a lot of recorded echoes that come back as memories in the show and many of the themes from the show have come from the natural speech melody of recordings of David telling his own story. So David is to thank for many of the tunes!

Could you elaborate on how David Warren’s love of music influenced his invention of the black box? How did you translate this influence into the musical’s composition and sound design? David had been teaching himself clarinet by ear from the radio and albums. He was daydreaming in a conference trying to solve the crashes of the world’s first jet airliners and thinking about recording music to learn clarinet.

The idea of recording music merged in his mind with the comments in the conference and he came up with the idea of recording the voices of the pilots.

“Black Box” is described as a groundbreaking musical experience utilising pre-recorded voices and instruments to create a world of music and memory. Can you discuss the creative process behind integrating these elements into the production and how it enhances the audience’s immersion in David Warren’s story?
We have recorded the show binaurally using a special microphone with ears, so when the audience is wearing headphones they will hear the voices of different characters coming from different directions in the theatre.

If the actor whispers in the ear of our microphone, the audience will feel them whispering in their ear. It’s going to be a very cool experience.

Collaboration seems to be crucial in bringing “Black Box” to life, from the writing and composition to the direction and performance. Can you share your experience of collaborating with the cast, crew, and director David Berthold to realize your vision for the musical?

A musical is always about collaboration because there are so many moving parts. I’ve known David a long time but this is the first time we’ve worked together! It’s great to have so many other people to bounce ideas off of and it really is an enormous team effort to get a production like this off the ground!

As both the writer and composer of “Black Box,” how did you navigate the balance between storytelling through dialogue and conveying emotions through music? Were there any specific challenges or rewarding moments in this process?
It’s hard for me to separate the different areas because they are so integrated in this show. And this show’s unique form has allowed me to do things with the recordings that would not be achievable live. So it’s given me extra tools in the storytelling toolbox that are very exciting.

The story of David Warren and the black box flight recorder is deeply rooted in Australian history. How did you ensure that the musical honors this heritage while also making it accessible and resonant for a diverse audience?
While I think it’s an important Australian story, I also think it has universal relevance.

The black box is on every plane around the world and when a plane goes missing, it becomes an international story. So while it’s definitely a proudly Australian show, I think it’s has universal appeal.

Finally, what was the most rewarding aspect of creating “Black Box,” and what message or feeling do you hope it leaves with audiences long after they’ve experienced the show? What do you hope audiences will take away from “Black Box” after experiencing this immersive and emotional journey?
The most rewarding experience has been seeing all these diverse people that have given their talents to making this show come to life. Although there are only 2 live actors on stage, there are 10 voice actors and 14 musicians so it’s been an absolutely massive undertaking to record everything. It was so fun to work with all these people and witness their skill in bringing these characters and music to life.

I hope the audience will leave feeling like they’ve been to another world and never experienced another show like it (I don’t think they will have!) and I hope they leave think about what is really important to them in their life. It’s a show about what to hold onto and what to let go of.

Thank you for joining us at The Fame Reporter Paul and we look forward to following ‘Black Box’ into the future.