Noosa Alive! Flaunts Cultural Fabulosity
For ten glorious days and nights, hills and dales were alive with mellifluous sounds, as diverse exciting events filled hearts with laughter and joy, choruses Helen Flanagan.
Noosa Alive 2025 celebrated its 23rd festival with an explosion of creative energy, star-spangled eye poppers and food for thought. It exceeded expectations, spanned many genres, and smashed records with sold-out events and world premieres.
The homage to cultural diversity in arts and entertainment opened with a flurry. Queensland Ballet presented two awe-inspiring works; the fantastical Curious Beings, a world premiere performance by acclaimed Australian choreographer Amelia Waller in collaboration with Dead Puppet Society using puppetry to blur the lines between human and artificial; and talented Jette Parker Young Artists’ Back to Bach by Greg Horsman.
In the spotlight, jaw-dropping Caroline O’Connor AM, international actress, singer, dancer and Noosa resident gave a razzle dazzle ‘em performance entitled My Musical Life. With her powerful vocals and captivating stage presence, she reminisced about an extraordinary international career spanning theatre, film, and television. Caroline also showed her range and versatility recalling Velma Kelly in Chicago, Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes, Edith Piaf in Piaf and Judy Garland in End of the Rainbow. Naturally encores aplenty for the Queensland exclusive performance.
The magnetism of singer, prolific songwriter and six time Golden Guitar winner Amber Lawrence and her band performing Tamworth to Tennessee favourite songs was undeniable, and the toe-tappers loved the bangers from her award-winning career to country music singers for the generations, such as Dolly Parton, Shania Twain and Billy Ray Cyrus.
Festival favourites Sharon and Slava Grigoryan are two of Australia’s finest classical musicians. Slava, an acknowledged guitar master on the world stage, and Sharon with a formidable career throughout Australia performing with all major symphony orchestras and chamber ensembles, presented works for cello and guitar from their magical ARIA-nominated album, Our Place plus Vivaldi, Granados, Piazzolla and contemporary composers.
Noosa Waterfront Restaurant & Bar hosted A Night at the Opera starring the stupendous Brisbane-based operatic trio Divina together with a three-course dinner that hit all the hight notes. Also at Noosa Waterfront was a Literary Lunch for the exclusive Australian launch of My Father Bryce by the multimillion-selling author’s son Adam Courtenay who shared his journey as the son of much-loved author Bryce Courtenay.
Riverside at Lucio’s Marina was the idyllic venue for wonderful food and a Literary Lunch for Prime Time by Bec Wilson, founder of Starts at 60, author of the #1 Australian self-improvement title How to Have an Epic Retirement, and her latest about empty nesters, midlife crisis, second act career, pre-retirement lifestyle, portfolio career, adjustment years, transition to retirement, sabbaticals, groovy grandparents and more related to the prime time of life.
Literary Breakfasts, especially at Noosa Springs Resort & Spa are popular just like the title suggesting much mystique, The Secret Year Of Zara Holt by popular Australian author Kimberley Freeman, an exclusive Australian launch. Zara was married to Australian Prime Minister Harold Holt when he disappeared while swimming off Cheviot Beach in Victoria, and this reimagining of Zara Holt’s life is full of passion, fashion, love and loss and a captivating snapshot of what life was like for a young woman in Australia in the 30s, 40s and 50s.
In a coup, Noosa Alive had the unique opportunity of having Robert H. Holt (Grandson of the late Harold Holt), as the interviewer for the IN Conversation component of this event, providing a wonderful connection between the author and the family tree.
It was all-aboard for a toe-tapping, wave-slapping Noosa Jazz Cruise aboard MV Catalina which sold-out within minutes of being released and didn’t disappoint against a stunning Noosa day with the Noosa River as a backdrop.
A huge highlight of the Noosa Alive program in most years has been a play by David Williamson AO, our esteemed local resident who is widely considered to be Australia’s most prolific and successful playwright. He has written over 50 plays that have been produced and toured both nationally and internationally.
Headlining this year was the world premiere of Sleeping Dogs directed by Ian Mackellar and starring the seasoned Erik Thomson playing Max Griffith a Hollywood director whose return to Australian dredges up long buried secrets, and starring alongside a star-studded ensemble cast of Alison Venning, Jo Hendrie, Louisa Williamson and Samantha Sherrin.
The audience laughed and chuckled at the snappy one-liners, and witty incisive dialogue in the darkly funny and poignant story about the way the past has a habit of casting mysterious long shadows into the future.
“We crossed the finishing line in a blaze of glory,” said ecstatic Festival Director Ian Mackellar, who albeit humbled, felt honoured when David Williamson asked him to direct Sleeping Dogs, and a privilege to work with Erik Thomson and the cast and crew for four sell-out performances.
“David’s plays always resonate with audiences,” commented actor, friend and Noosa Mayor Frank Wilkie, “and Sleeping Dogs, directed by Ian, starring Erik working alongside locals Jo Hendrie and Alison Venning, delivered another memorable world premiere to Noosa.
“It was an absolute delight to watch. Great story and characters. My therapist says I’ll only need six sessions to get over the trauma of not being in the cast!”
This year marks Ian Mackellar’s 15th Festival (2009-2018 & 2021-2025).
He has seen many changes, especially how it has morphed into an outstanding event, not just as a magnet for local communities but also those in Brisbane and beyond who also share a passion for world class cultural pursuits across numerous top shelf genres.
“Part of the joy of bringing brilliant acts to town,” says Ian, “is presenting events people would otherwise not experience unless they travelled far and wide to see outstanding entertainment.
“I think that is truly special.”
Ian has been in show business for more than 50 years. He was eight when he made his first appearance on television on Perth’s TVW 7, and for the next 12 years made regular appearances as a vocalist and co-host of the program.
With a love of theatre imbedded in his genes, he has appeared in numerable plays and musicals, took a step up the ladder in the late 90s directing, and owned a Sydney-based production company, before moving here.
“That was 2002 when I became heavily involved in local theatre as a performer and director. I’ve directed and performed in at least 26 shows,” he says.
“Being able to nurture and develop young stars of the future through Noosa Alive’s Stars Alive is a huge bonus.”
Ian resides in Artist Retreat, a property near Lake Cooroibah.
He rises around seven to feed new furry friend Clementine, a Red Tri miniature Australian Shepherd, greet other furry friends Bertie, a golden retriever, horses Lucah and Monte, and pet sheep Maggie-May who thinks she is a dog too!
“The driving force, and my serious passion is entertainment. I eat, sleep and thrive in the world of showbiz. Impossible to dream of such a perfect life in paradise,” quietly spoken Ian says with a sigh!
Bravo! See you next year when Noosa Alive returns!
