Checked Out: The Musical – A musical comedy about the mundane lives of supermarket workers in a cost of living crisis.
Check in, deal with angry customers. Check out, repeat again tomorrow. Connell and Lee, the team behind GRAA-nominated musical ‘A Zoom Group Project’ have joined forces again to create this brand-new supermarket musical comedy premiering at Melbourne Fringe 2025. This time they are using their years of retail experience as creative fuel because nothing makes a story sing like hating your job does. In ‘Checked Out: The Musical’ a group of employees are sick of their mundane lives working for big supermarket chain Woles, who still pay them minimum wage despite its recent record profits. What’s the manager’s solution to staff complaints? Throwing a party to celebrate the company’s profits and making attendance mandatory of course!
As I watched this cast of comrades band together to unite against the epitome of capitalism: their workplace, I laughed, laughed and laughed again.
This show deserves the highest accolades and surely it is set to win some of the current Melbourne Fringe Festival awards. The entire audience would agree going by their laughter and cheering. I don’t think there was ever someone not laughing throughout 90% of the show – there are a few serious moments (not!).
It is simply put together on stage with boxes coloured in like supermarket aisles, something a little like an advanced kinder project so you’re wondering what’s going to go on here… then one by one starting their day in the store enter 5 very different staff members … mops with eyes as fierce customers, register and clock on-off beeps, announcement microphones and the big ‘boss’ guy up the top over the loud speaker of course (we don’t get to see him, but he’s equally as talented as the rest of the cast).
‘Price gouging’ clap along was the best! Finger puppets not dissimilar to ones we all frequently recognise instantly, the team of ‘Woles’ in their blue aprons, Bridget, Jasmine, Taylor, Seb and Jack hit every silly, funny but scarily true to life topic we experience in shopping today and working in retail spot on!
I am personally constantly complaining of how much milk and bread and a few fruit and veg will set me back. These guys take it to the next level, but when I thought about it, it’s not next level, these prices are reality!
Their 10cent per hour pay rise is also reality, and they have to fight for it!
Swapping out ‘Clean Up’ for ‘Love in Aisle 9’ may be the only highlight of a day otherwise full of being scolded by customers, bossy bosses and trying to keep to an impossible down-to-the second time schedule. Of course, don’t take your break early and certainly don’t be 17 seconds over returning to your duties!
Will Jack be able to play his songs at the MCG? Will Jasmine continue to be excited as the newest employee? Will Seb get to take his long service leave in Vietnam? Will Taylor ever do up her apron and will supervisor Bridget finally get to head up the company, or will she decide to band with her team?
The beaming smiles and genuine love for what they do on stage giving it their all, these talented bright bubby actors and actresses totally nailed this plot and I can’t wait to see what they do next!
Hopefully major media will go along and see this show, I could see it tour!
Enjoy!!
Ticket Link: https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/checked-out-the-musical
Playing 8 – 12 October 2025
Well organised ticketing and access, lots of volunteers helping to get you into the right area – the Fringe Festival is fantastic with so much to choose from, but definitely DON’T MISS this one ‘CHECKED OUT – THE MUSCAL!’
WRITTEN BY
Josh Connell and Steph Lee
LIGHTING DESIGN
Tom Vulcan
DIRECTED BY
Steph Lee
CAST
Anita Mei La Terra
Oscar O’Brien
Jackson Cross
An Dang
Shanu Sobti
Venue: Solidarity Hall at Festival Hub: Trades Hall, Cnr Lygon & Victoria Sts, Carlton
EVENT WARNING
Contains strobe lighting, Mild coarse language
CONTENT WARNING
Misogyny, Sexual References
To book tickets to Checked Out: The Musical, please visit https://www.melbournefringe.com.au/whats-on/events/checked-out-the-musical.
Photographer: Leo Cherry
