Ever wondered how a British girl became a household name on the Brisbane theatre scene? Or how she successfully impersonated Adele and carved a niche in the entertainment industry? Our guest for today's episode, Naomi Price, shares her journey from the UK to Australia, her childhood in a musically inclined family, and her passion for theatre that led her to be a renowned performer.
Tune in as Naomi brings to life her experiences in theatre and comedy. From her education in Creative Industries and Drama at QUT to her first professional play and tour with the Shake and Stir Theatre Company, learn about the lessons she gleaned along the way. Discover more about the role of comedy in connecting with audiences and the privilege it offers to performers. Plus, get a taste of British and Aussie humor from Naomi's perspective, and how her roots and upbringing fuel her comedic style.
Finally, Naomi opens up about the magic of performing as Adele, the importance of mentorship in shaping her skills, and her entrepreneurial journey with the Little Red Company. Hear about her resilience amid a pandemic, her creative venture with the IsoLate Late Show, and her dedication to inclusivity in theatre. This episode is a testament to Naomi's perseverance, talent, and heart, and is sure to inspire anyone with a penchant for the performing arts.
Don't miss out on the premier events the next few months;
Get your Labels on the Lawn Tickets Here
Get your Trivia and Wine Tasting Tickets Here
Get you Big Fat Greek Party Tickets Here
Don't miss Naomi and the Little Red Co in There's Something About Music 1st to 10th September, tickets available now
Have any questions for us? Send them through to podcast@hanworthhouse.com.au
If you enjoy the podcast please subscribe so you don't miss out on any new episodes, submit a rating and review to tell us how we are going and connect with us on other platforms to see what else is happing at Hanworth House and with Marisa Vecchio.
Intagram: @hanworthhouse
Youtube: @hanworthhouse2947
Website: hanworthhouse.com.au
Pinterest: @hanworthhouse
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Bubbles and Benevolence, the podcast
where we pop the bubbles tosuccess and dive deep into the
benevolent hearts of those whohave achieved it.
In this podcast, we'll sit downwith successful business leaders
, philanthropists, nonprofitworkers and more to discuss
their journeys, the lessonsthey've learned along the way,
and how they're using theirsuccess to make a positive
(00:20):
impact on the world.
So grab a glass of bubbles andjoin us as we explore the
intersection of business andbenevolence and discover what it
truly means to be successful.
On today's interview, we have awoman whose name is synonymous
(00:42):
with talent, naomi Price, atalent that will warm your heart
and tickle your ribs.
Known for her uncannyappearance as a dell on stage,
her appearance on the Voice,mentored by Ricky Martin, and an
array of artist and moviesoundtrack dedications that will
keep you dancing and laughingall night long.
After starting her own companywith Adam Bruins, naomi Price
(01:04):
and her team have creatednon-stop entertainment and
dedicated time and effort toensuring entertainment is
accessible to everyone.
So sit back and try not tolaugh too hard as we interview
Naomi Price.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Well, it's a thrill to have Naomi Price here today,
one of my very favorite peoplein Brisbane.
Naomi, Thank you so much.
You've been so busy.
Thanks for popping into theoffice and saying hello to us
today.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Oh my gosh, I love it .
I love being here.
I even wore my Hamworth purplefor you.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
You are so, so ready for this.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
On brand.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Thank you, thank you so much so on brand.
You also walked in with some ofmy favorite bubbles, but why
did you choose Perrier-Jouette?
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Well, one of my best friends, bex Easterman.
She bought me my very firstbottle of it and I remember
taking my first sip and thinking, oh my gosh, this is heaven in
a glass, and so I think it's mygo-to, go-to fizz.
You know, I think we've got abig jar at home of corks and we
write the date and who we drankthe wine with and we put that
(02:04):
into the jar and I would sayprobably about 20% of them are
Perrier-Jouette champagne corks.
They just always mark thosemilestone occasions, so this
kind of felt like the perfectoccasion to have another drop
and they're always such prettybottles aren't they?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, stunning, particularly there are vintage
ones with the hand-painted stuffand, yes, I haven't got my
knits on those too often in mylife but they're usually behind
lock and key, aren't they?
That's correct.
They're the ones.
Well cheers and thank you forjoining us today.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Naomi, we're so thrilled to have you.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
You burst into the Brisbane scene.
I actually think it must havebeen around 20 years ago now.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Yeah, it's 20 years since I moved to Brisbane.
Isn't that wild.
I can't quite believe it.
It's gone very, very quicklyand also, at the same time, it
does feel like an entirelifetime.
It's been my adult lifetime.
So, yeah, it's incredible tothink I've been here this long.
And so where did?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
you come from and why did you come?
Our game, obviously, but tellus that story.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
I grew up in Brighton on the south coast of the UK
and I am the oldest of four.
I come from a very musicalfamily.
All of my siblings sing andplay instruments and we always
grew up with music in the houseand two very creative parents
that just loved introducing usto different music and we had
(03:24):
the most incredible musiceducation everything from Chopin
to the Beatles to the RollingStones and to the new romantics.
We just we listened to it allin our house.
So very lucky in that regard.
And I spent the first half of mylife in the UK and I actually
got into drama school in Londonand I was going to going to go
(03:49):
to university there and Iremember the open day at Royal
Holloway.
I walked around and it wasdreary and dark and raining and
everyone was so miserable and Ijust thought I am going to hate
this.
This is just not me at all.
And at the same time we hadreally good family friends who
lived on the Sunshine Coast andthey'd been saying to me for
years move to Australia, you'dlove it here, it's, it never
(04:13):
rains, it's such a beautifulplace to live.
And so I applied for universityhere in Brisbane and I got in
and I packed my bags and I flewthe next day and I didn't really
know anybody here.
I just, I don't know.
When you're that age, you justthink anything's possible.
So I think now what a horriblechild to like leave my parents
(04:33):
and leave my empty bedroombehind and just take off to the
other side of the world.
But at the time I was so fullof excitement and hope and the
prospect of the future and so,yeah, I just, I just bit the
bullet and went for it.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
It's a big decision for someone so young yeah
definitely I think it's.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I don't think I could have done it without Mum and
Dad's support.
They're very encouraging of mechasing my dreams and you know,
look, I guess if I messed it up,they have three more to follow.
So, you know it wasn't like Iwas their only chance, but
they've been incrediblysupportive over the years and,
you know, have never said, oh,come back.
You know you should move backhere, and they've never put
(05:13):
pressure on me to come back.
They've always seen how happyand how I've been thriving here
in Australia.
So I think I'm very, veryfortunate to have that support,
because I do know that familysupport is everything in life
and without it you kind ofbattle on resiliently and with
it you can just step intopotential.
(05:33):
You know, and that support ofmy loved ones and people I love
most in my life has undoubtedlycontributed to where I am today.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
It feels to me that you kind of burst into the scene
in Brisbane, though it was farfrom that, wasn't it?
I was trying to think when wemet, was it in the Brisbane
arcade one night?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Very likely, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
I think there was some kind of one of those arcade
festivals.
I think I was drawn to Lukeoriginally because I'm the same,
yeah, but I have a feeling Ihad seen him on stage prior to
that Very likely.
And some amateur orprofessional productions, I
can't remember.
So I think we sauntered over tohim to say hello and got double
barrel goodness, because we'vegot you as well.
(06:14):
Two for the price of one, Ithink so.
Yeah, so it would be more than10 years ago, would that be
right?
I?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
would think so.
Yeah, and actually I wastalking to somebody at an event
last Friday and they know you aswell, and they said how do you
know Marisa?
And I said I don't know.
I kind of feel like she's likeGlinda.
She just appears in the bubblewhen you need her, like some
beautiful fairy godmother, andjust blesses you with magic and
then exits.
And I'm like I was trying tothink as well, when was that
(06:41):
defining moment?
But you've been such a constantpresence in my life and such a
huge supporter of, well, of allartistic endeavors here in
Brisbane Like it's amazing thesupport you give to art.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
So we love the arts, but I was hoping that you could
articulate the day, but I thinkyou would be quite right.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I think it was.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Brisbane Festival Not .
Brisbane, I think somethinghappening in there.
I just remember having aconversation that seemed like it
was a bit stilted because wewere newly acquainted, right?
That's never happened since.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
No, never.
I've always felt 100%comfortable with myself, with
you.
So I think there's somethingreally collegiate about Brisbane
and about the people we know,right, and that there's kind of
a real cross pollination as well.
I don't feel like there aregroups of people that just do
one thing.
I feel so included in otherindustries and you know there's
(07:32):
so much kind of intersectionthat happens between fashion and
art and business andphilanthropy, and that's, I
think, one of the reasons I loveit is that you don't really
know how you meet people.
You just meet them and thenthey become your fierce friend.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Well, I'm very happy to be a fierce friend, although
I think Sophia and Jamie mightcontest me being Glinda.
I think they more have me onthe other side of the wicked
witch.
Definitely not.
I'm sure they could contest youon that one.
That is slander.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Absolutely not, no way.
The wicked witch of the west isnowhere near as glam as you,
marisa.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Oh my goodness, so you're so complimentary, but
when I saw you today I realizedjust how long it is since we've
actually seen you face to face,probably since the Lord made
Christmas carols, or somethingaround there, very likely which
we'll definitely go into.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
It's been a big start to the year.
I say start, but we're morethan halfway through, so it's
just gone very quickly this year.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
So when you exited Brighton in the UK as a young
one destined to the big world ofBrisbane and was it QUT that
you went to it was.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
QUT I did a Bachelor of Creative Industries and Drama
, so I meant actually I'm atrained actor, not a singer or
qualified to do anything else Ido in my life.
Yeah, but I have some amazingalumni from that year group.
Dave Sleswick, who owns theTivoli and the Princess, is one
of my now one of my fellowstudents and now one of my
(08:52):
colleagues.
So there's some reallybeautiful people that we were
all in that sort of early 2000sintake together and still see
each other and work togethertoday.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Then what happened?
Like after QUT.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
After QUT I did a lot of community theatre and kind
of I feel like in a lot of waysI did my apprenticeship.
You know, at uni you do a lotof theory, but I didn't in that
particular course.
I didn't get a lot of practicalinput or as much as I wanted to
.
So I did a lot of communitytheatre and really kind of got
to tackle lots of roles that Iwould never usually get to play
(09:27):
and I'm all the while working inlike all sorts of things
hospitality, marketing, againall things I'm not qualified to
do but just wanted to supportthis performance work that I was
pursuing.
And over the years it kind ofmoved from being that thing that
I would race home from work todo and do in my spare time.
(09:49):
It started to kind of bleedinto my day to day life and then
I booked my first professionalplay in 2008.
I was in the Wishingwell at LeBois Theatre and that cast was
just all kinds of wild BrianProbitz, eugene Gilfeder, helen
Cassidy, leon Kane, sallyMcKenzie, andrew Buchanan, dan
(10:10):
Cristani like it was just abaptism of fire for a young grad
to be walking into a cast likethat.
But I got to work with HelenHoward and Michael Futcher and
just learn the magic and thepower of an actor on stage and
how we could create thesedifferent worlds just using a
napkin and a plate.
And for me, it was the kind ofwork I love making.
(10:31):
It's imaginative and it asksthe audience to come on the
journey with you, and it's notgrandiose sets and costumes.
You have to fill in the blanksas an audience member, but you
go with it and it all makestotal sense.
So I was very lucky that thatwas my first professional
experience and that I got towork with so many amazing
luminaries of the stage.
And then I just keptauditioning for things and I did
(10:54):
Peter Pan at Q-Pack and JesusChrist Superstar with Luke, and
then in 2012 I toured intoschools with Shakenstair Theatre
Company.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
A lot of people don't know this.
No, I didn't know that, but Iheard about the theatre company
yes, so tell us about that.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
So I was on the road with two other actors for a year
and we learned eight shows,eight 60-minute shows.
So we would do 60-minute versionof Romeo and Juliet or of
Hamlet or a play about sort ofbullying and moral consequences.
We learned eight different showsand we would do any combination
of those eight shows everysingle day of the week,
(11:30):
sometimes three shows a day,driving all over Queensland in a
big green van, pulling the setout, setting it up in the
classroom or a theatre, and Ialways say that was like boot
camp for me.
You can do anything in theworld.
If you have done the dyingscene at the end of Romeo and
Juliet in fluoro lighting at8.30 in the morning in front of
(11:51):
50 grade 9s, you can do anything.
So that just taught me to notbe afraid of the audience and to
always value that connectionwith the people that are
watching you and neverunderestimating the impact
you're having at any givenmoment.
And for me it was yeah, it'sdefinitely one of those moments
that I realised how it's aprivilege to be a performer and
(12:14):
to have that platform, to havethat voice, to bring someone's
story to life.
It's yeah, it's a realprivilege, which not a lot of
people would say about schoolstouring, but that was my
takeaway.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Well, I would have mentioned, there were a pretty
harsh critical audience.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
So what did?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
you learn about, because I'm sure lots of people
would love to get into theatrein any way, shape or form.
So what was your take homemessage from, from that year of
travelling around and a prettyhard, as I said, pretty harsh
audience, I would suspect.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Yeah, I think my big takeaway is how much I love
comedy.
So for me, applause issomething that you do because
it's a social cue.
A song ends you clap.
A show ends you clap.
You clap.
If you hated it, you clap.
If they sang really badly, youstill clap because it's polite
Laugh does not polite Laugh,that is involuntary.
(13:03):
People only laugh if you arebeing funny.
And I think that year on theroad I was like I love comedy so
much.
I love the fact that you canflip a situation on its head by
just having the most brilliantone liner and being able to
improvise in the moment and justit's like sleight of hand or
magician's trick.
(13:24):
It's just so brilliant.
There's nothing like greatcomedy.
So that's probably my bigtakeaway and that's what led me
to write my first show.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
What an amazing story .
But were you like that as a kid?
Were you kind of the the smartyone in the room?
Were you the funny one?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
I never really thought of myself as funny.
I mean now, obviously I thinkI'm an absolute hoot we do too
but I don't think I ever thoughtof myself as funny.
I was very studious as a kid,very academic, loved school,
took way too many subjects andas a GCSE student I think I did
(14:00):
like 13 or 14 subjects Would do,did some on my lunch break
because there was no space in mytimetable to do them.
I was the head girl.
I was misgoody, two shoes,academic and driven.
I don't know if I thought I wasfunny, but I realized growing up
I had so many comic idols.
My brothers and I always usedto watch things like Annie and I
(14:25):
think Carol Burnett as MissHannigan is a truly iconic
performance in any film ortelevision series ever, and when
she kicks her foot through thewall in Easy Street when she's
coming down the stairs, I didn'trealize.
Those things go into your brainas a kid and they really do
shape your sense of humor.
And now I look back and I'mlike well, it's no wonder my
sense of humor is just camp andridiculous, because I was
(14:47):
watching Carol Channing, carolBurnett, like you know.
I just absolutely adoredanybody that was over the top
and ridiculous and wasn't afraidto look silly.
So I think it's probably reallyimpacted the performer I've
become today.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Probably, though, a bit of an advantage when you
think about some of the thingsthat happen in life.
Sometimes it's probably betterto look at people as being quite
silly rather than, you know,silly in a comic way rather than
just saying silly, right, Iremember there's a bit of a.
I don't know if you've watchedthe White Lotus in Sicily.
And my husband's like killinghimself, laughing at this whole
(15:26):
series because they're usingdialect in Sicily, which he's
been brought up with in hisfamily.
They laugh at the funniestthings, like I think there's a I
don't quote me on getting itright, but there was something
when they were describing a manwho they had just seen in White
Lotus and said you know the manwith the crooked nose.
Well, that's kind of a humorthat Phillips family in Innisfal
(15:49):
has been brought up with theirwhole life, they'll call them.
You know fluffy eyebrows,they'll call fluff.
Have you seen fluffy eyebrowslately?
And the fact that that humor inthe everyday?
That's why they love Seinfeld.
So much is kind of it must becultural, because when it was in
White Lotus he was on the floorwith laughter at the kind of
the I guess, the subliminalhumour in the situation because
(16:11):
it was cultural.
Yes, so I think sometimeshumour gets you out of those
tricky situations.
But I'm sure these peopledidn't really appreciate being
called fluffy eyebrows orwhatever it might, crooked nose,
but that's how they used todefine people rather than their
names.
And Flop says, inevitably, ifSeinfeld's his very favourite
show because it seems to be ashow about his life, that's
amazing.
He thinks he's George by theway.
(16:31):
Amazing.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
He says I'm George.
He says so much.
I think the way you grow up andyour culture and your
background absolutely informsyour sense of humour.
I mean, I think for all of mycamp American comic idols, you
know, I also loved Monty Pythonand I love British humour.
I mean I love Ricky Gervais, Iloved Gavin and Stacy.
(16:54):
There's just something reallyquintessentially unique about
British humour that I reallyappreciate, and it's dry.
I think that's why I reallyloved.
I've always felt at home inAustralia, I suppose from the
European heritage that's here.
But there's a very similarsense of humour.
Aussie humour and Britishhumour is very self-deprecating,
(17:15):
very dry, very, we can laugh atourselves and I think that's
something that I've always loveddoing as well.
So yeah, I totally get it.
Your background informs whatyou find funny, for sure.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Absolutely Well.
You always see it in your showsas well.
There's always that very local,very current humour which I'm
sure changes as the show isgoing to transition.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Oh, always, always, the script's never finished.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Sometimes we think you've just said that for the
first time on stage, becauseeveryone's in the back just
killing themselves on stage.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Sometimes I have, which is terrifying for everyone
else on stage because they'relike, oh God, where's she going?
But look, you can't beat it.
I mean, observational andsituational humour is just.
It's so joyous.
One of my favourite things todo is go into the crowd and talk
to an audience member becauseinevitably, they will always
give you much better materialthan you could have come up with
yourself.
So I love that stuff.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
And you're very good at joining it as well.
The voice yes, Of course we'vegot to ask you about the voice.
Everyone wants to know what wasit like, particularly what was
Ricky Martin like?
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Well, the voice.
I was weird.
I was thinking about the voicejust yesterday because some of
the big milestones in my lifehave been marked by hair colour
changes and the voice was noexception.
And I remember vividly theywanted to dye my hair like peach
, but the first time they did itit was like orange proper
(18:33):
cartoon orange and they bleachedmy eyebrows so I looked utterly
bizarre and I remember lookingin the mirror and going, huh, I
don't know who I am anymore.
I haven't lost my sense of self.
Thankfully, I found it back thenext week when my hair was the
right colour and they put theseamazing extensions in.
I was like I'm a pop star.
But I was weird.
I was thinking about it justyesterday and reflecting on what
(18:55):
a truly bonkers experience itis.
It's, there's nothing.
You can never, ever describewhat it is like being on a
competition reality show.
It's like the outside worldceases to exist for that,
however many months you're on it, and you're in this weird
bubble, this microcosm ofsociety, where you care about
(19:16):
really insignificant things likehaving your eyebrows bleached,
and you constantly turn over inyour head like am I doing it
right?
Am I presenting myself well?
Am I being a nice person towork with.
Did I sing as well as I couldhave in that episode?
It's quite a bizarreenvironment to be in and a
(19:36):
little like maybe any athleticcompetition where you train for
the games for the Commonwealthgames or this big match or
whatever it might be.
But it was like its intensecompetition environment and
you're also trying to be a goodperson to work with as well as
do your best work.
Yeah, it was a lot, but amazing,so amazing to be part of
(19:57):
something that's got millions ofdollars budget, incredible sets
like I played piano in one songand they had like this enormous
grand piano.
It was just covered in candleswhere I lit by hand and like I'm
sure I could have gone up inflames I had fire extinguishers
waiting to put me out if I didbut there was just some really
cool things that I'm like I willprobably never get to do that
(20:20):
again, but how amazing.
And one of those pinch myselfmoments was singing with Ricky
Martin, was.
It's one of those out of bodyexperiences where I remember
looking him in the eye and goingis this my actual life?
Is this really happening?
And I could feel myselffloating out of body and then
going no, stay there, staypresent.
You want to remember thisforever.
(20:40):
So I feel really like it'squite a vivid memory for me,
because I think I was just sointensely like locked into him
and I was like remember this,remember this, remember this,
I'd be locked into him too.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
If it happened to me, I'd be locked into it as well.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
It's.
He's pretty easy to get lost in.
He's an amazing guy andincredibly kind.
Just show me the importance ofremembering people's names and
being kind to everyone aroundyou, and that doesn't matter how
busy or successful or fabulousyou become at the core of who
you are, that doesn't change.
(21:15):
And he said an amazing thing toLuke and I once we went to his
house for dinner.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
As you do.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Yeah, no, another pinch for a South Maron.
I was like, what am I doinghere?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
What do you bring to his house for dinner?
Well, I brought a bottle ofwine.
Do you want a glass?
Speaker 1 (21:27):
or something.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
No, I bought this really amazing bottle of wine
and we didn't have much money atthe time.
So I remember thinking, okay,I've got to spend as much money
as I possibly can.
I bought this beautiful bottleof red.
He opens the door and in thatmoment I remembered he wasn't
drinking, he doesn't drink.
And I went, oh shit, and he waslike hi, how are you?
And I was like hi, I boughtthis bottle of wine, thinking
(21:51):
God.
And it was the first time I methim too, because it was when
Luke was doing the voice and wewent over for dinner and I just
remember thinking, oh well,that's that then, not knowing
two years later I would end upperforming with him.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Sorry, you were saying we needed going to his
house.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah, he said.
I remember he said to us thatnight he pulled us to one side
and he said to Luke you know,how are you going with the show
and how are you going withpeople recognizing you and all
these things?
And looks like it's bizarre,it's just the weirdest thing.
He said I want you to remembersomething Television is not real
.
It's not real life.
Who you are when you go home atnight and you close the door,
that's who you really are.
Who you are as a partner, whoyou are as a father, who you are
(22:28):
to your dog, who you are toyour family, to your friends,
that's the person you are and Ithink that's something we've
really held on to is like thatsense of not losing integrity
and, no matter where your careertakes you and what
opportunities coming away, notlosing your connection to doing
the right thing, being honorable, having integrity.
(22:50):
I think that was something thatreally rang true for us and
certainly that's the person weknow no Ricky to be is someone
that lives that every day andhe's a beautiful father and so
kind to his loved ones aroundhim, and I think that was
probably the best role model wecould ask for really.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
And so that role modeling has been very important
.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
You've mentioned quite a few of them already,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
But I know you've worked with some amazing other
artists and local like KateMiller, hi Key and.
I know.
So how do you choose a mentor,or I'm sure you mentor people as
well.
So really interested for giveme if I'm wrong, but
particularly in your industry,connectivity is incredibly
important.
Yeah, to be seen and to bethought about.
(23:33):
I guess, when you're beingadvocated for I'm sure you've
had lots of mentors Can youexplain back to relationships
and why were they good?
Speaker 3 (23:42):
mentors either come into your life and you discover
them in real time and you decidethis is someone I want to stay
in touch with and I want to keeplooking up to.
And then there are people thatyou seek out, that you go.
That person has got somethingthat I want and I want to be
like that.
I want to emulate them, and youchase after them and I've had
(24:02):
both of those.
I've had people like Ricky thatI thought, oh, every in a
million years will I get to workwith this person, let alone
actually kind of engage withthem personally.
So this, absolutely thosepeople that arrived by surprise.
But then there's been peoplelike a few years ago I was doing
a beautiful the Carol Kingmusical and I was performing
eight times a week in thisamazing show but it took me away
(24:25):
from my partner and mystepdaughter and my home and I
remember thinking I love beingin the show and I love the
people and I love the joy theshow brings, but I feel like
there's something more I want todo and I want to grow and I
want to be seen as a leader andI want to advocate and I want to
have a platform, but I justdon't know where to start
because everyone just thinks ofme as this fun performer, and so
(24:48):
I sought out this amazing womanwho has led funded
organizations and has was onboards and just an incredible
arts leader, and she very kindlyagreed to have, you know, a few
meetings with me and she saidsome things to me that just
transformed the way I looked atmyself, the way I wanted to
present myself.
(25:08):
When I go about choosing amentor, it's either through that
authentic connection, when youmeet somebody and you go this
feels like you're at that placethat I want to get to and I need
to chase after that or you lookaround you and you go.
Who is there in my life?
I'm feeling this need to grow.
Who can I ask?
I don't really kind of activelythink about it, but I feel like
(25:31):
life's gifted me some prettyamazing people along the way.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
You do find your niche, don't you?
There are people who yougravitate towards and who are
gravitated with you, and I thinkthat's part of life, isn't?
It's part of the joy, andsometimes there's surprise
elements that happen to you aswell.
And what about longevity inyour obviously your career path?
Yeah, we see yours energeticnow, as I first met you probably
(25:56):
as energetic when you steppedoff the plane into Australia.
But I'm guessing the Little RedCompany became a fixture of
your plan for a whole lot ofreasons other than the fact that
you thought being an arts kindof management organisation or an
artistic developer would be agood idea.
Tell us about Little Red andhow did it come about?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Well, I was touring with Shaken Stare in 2012 and
rediscovering how much I lovedcomedy.
Myself and my best friend, adamBruins, were sitting on my back
deck one day having way toomany gins, and I started doing
impressions of Adele and the wayAdele speaks because English
sense of humour and Adam startedlaughing so hard and I was like
(26:37):
, oh my God, this is such a joy.
I love seeing someone that Ifind so funny, finding me this
funny.
There was an open mic nightcoming up at a little showroom
in Albion and Adam twisted myarm to get up and to perform as
Adele in front of these people.
And so I was going to get upand do rolling in the deep and
then do a bit of thatobservational improvised comedy
(27:00):
and then do what became a prettyinfamous 11 minute version of
someone like you, where I did animpression of Celine Dion and
an impression of Taylor Swiftand a whole bunch of different
singers.
And so I did it, and in theaudience that night was the
director of the local CabaretFestival and they asked us to
develop it into a full lengthshow, which we came back and
(27:22):
presented a few months later.
That show, rumour has it wasthe start of the next chapter of
my life and I've performed overa hundred times as Adele and
we've done it at Sydney OperaHouse and Queen's Empathomy Arts
Centre, adelaide FestivalCentre, quai, le Lump Performing
Arts Centre.
It's kind of like that was whatI became known as was the Adele
girl.
Adam and I were getting allthese inquiries about could I
(27:45):
come and do this festival?
Could I do Sydney?
Could I do Melbourne?
And I was like, well, we need acompany name, like we need
people to take us seriously.
They're not going to take usseriously if it's just Adam and
Nim having a laughcom and that'sall it was.
It was just us doing somethingthat brought us joy.
We just plucked a name out ofthin air.
I played Little Red Riding Hoodin a musical in Into the Woods
(28:07):
in like 2005 and I really lovedplaying her and she was wicked
and funny and delicious and Iwas like, well, that's kind of
us.
So we named the company,registered the name and then
started touring Rumour has itand that was kind of the
beginning.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
I didn't realise.
Rumour has.
It was the beginning, it wasthe start.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
It was the start and in a weird way and Adam always
says this when he watches theshow he says I don't know where
Adele ends and you begin,because what I realised about
cabaret, and about playingparticularly with character in
cabaret, is that when you put onthe persona of someone else,
you can say things that are yourtruth, but everyone just goes,
oh, that's just the character.
So you give yourself permissionto say things that maybe I
(28:50):
wouldn't say as Naomi, but Adelecan say them.
And Adam said but it allowed usto explore a whole bunch of
things that he and I hadopinions on, like parenthood and
what it means to be a jiltedlover and I don't know, just a
whole heartbreak and growing upin the UK, Like it was all these
(29:11):
topics that I identified withthat were in her life as well,
and I thought, oh, this isreally interesting.
It's really slippery betweenthe two of us and I kind of feel
a bit like I can say anythingas this person and I think
that's why people loved it somuch, because you would arrive
and, like you say, you wouldn'tknow what I was going to say.
Next, it was just no filter,completely just able to tell
(29:37):
people to f off if I wanted to,and because of who she is and
she's so possible in her skin,that gave me permission to do
that too.
So, yeah, I've got a lot tothank.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Adele, for have you ever received any kind of notice
that she knows about this show?
Speaker 3 (29:51):
I've had an anecdotal bit of feedback that once
someone on her management teamsaw our show playing at the
Sydney Opera House and was likehow come this girl that's not
even Adele gets to play theSydney Opera House?
And like we haven't evenbrought Adele to.
Australia yet.
So I did hear once that maybeher team knew of the show.
But I don't know.
(30:12):
I mean, I've always said Iwould love her to know about the
show because I think she wouldfeel understood if she saw it.
And particularly right at thestart, like 10 years ago, we
didn't know anything about her.
She was a private celebrity.
Now she's doing Vegas everyweekend and she's sharing more
about her life and she's a bitmore open, does more interviews.
But 10 years ago if we werejust filling in the blanks.
(30:34):
But I remember going to see herboth nights that she played at
the Gabba oh, that was amazingand I had so many messages from
people that were there and theywere like you wrote her into
existence, like everything thatshe said on stage.
It's like that could have beenlifted from the rumor hazard
script and it was kind of weirdthat synergy or there was.
I don't know.
I just always felt like Ireally on some level got her as
(30:57):
a human being.
So I hope one day she does seeit.
I will always send her thevideo.
If you're listening to Dell,send me a message, I'll send you
the show.
Oh my God.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
I love that audition process that your people were
auditioning for a Dell and shewas one of them.
Yeah, that's right.
I think you one day you'regoing to see rumor hazard and
suddenly out will come NaomiPrice.
I think we'd never be fabulouswhen she was here in Brisbane.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
She wasn't doing any press.
I had the busiest two weeks ofmy life Because no one like nine
news 10, all the radio stations, no one could get her into an
interview.
So they just put me.
So there's actually an amazingviral video of me in B105 Studio
and I said I'd be pre recordingit because I'm going to swear.
And they said go for it, youcan say whatever you want, will
(31:41):
bleep you out.
So it's literally two minutesof me just swearing at the radio
announcers.
And they tried to trick me aswell, because they were saying
oh, you're at the Grammys, butthe Grammys wasn't till that
night.
So they interviewed me and theywere like and how was the
Grammys?
I was like it was good.
Yeah, I just made it up, I justtotally freestyle, because it
hadn't even happened.
Oh yeah, I had a busy couple ofweeks.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
I'm the telly is Adele, amazing.
So that was a really littlemoment.
And then, of course, there wasother similar but different
wrecking balls.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Yeah, then we created a show about Miley Cyrus called
wrecking ball, and then wecreated a show full of what's
2017 season called Lady Beatle,which is the music of the
Beatles told through the eyes ofa mystery character who you
only find out till the end, andthat show toured to 42 venues in
(32:32):
2019, our biggest ever tour andwe toured all throughout
Australia.
Yeah, that I'm really proud ofthat show.
I think the first three showsrumour wrecking ball, lady
Beatle.
They were all exploringidentity and I think that was
absolutely in line with whereAdam and I were at that point in
our lives.
We were really into reinventionand really drawn to people that
(32:56):
were either reinventing genresor reinventing themselves, like
Miley Cyrus, or reinventing thatperiod of history.
The Beatles had so much impacton the world around them
Socially.
I think we were really reallykind of interested in exploring
that as a concept and presentingpeople, songbooks, artists in a
(33:18):
totally new light.
If you love the Beatles, cometo our show.
We'll give you a totally newperspective on the songs that
you love.
So I think that's what we werereally trying to tackle in that
early stage of our artisticcareer.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
And then I think it went on to become a bit more
wider based.
So we might just take a littlebreak and when we come back I'd
love to explore what happensnext in the exciting life of
Naomi Price.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Great.
Your exclusive pass to the mostcoveted designer fashion event
of the year is here.
Labels on the lawn, tickets arenow on sale, with thousands of
designer items for sale on theday at $200 or under.
Join us in supporting Women'sLegal Service Queensland as we
stand up against domesticviolence.
With your ticket, you're notonly attending a fashion
(34:01):
extravaganza, you're making astatement and remember, it's
first in best dressed, literally.
So grab your tickets now andsecure your spot early at the
event that everyone's talkingabout.
Don't miss out on the fashion,the fun and the chance to make a
difference.
Visit handworthhousecomau andhead to the what's On page or
follow the link in the episodedescription for tickets.
(34:23):
And, while you're there, makesure you've locked in your
tickets to my Big Fat Greekparty and our wine tasting and
trivia afternoon.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
So, Naomi, we've just been talking about how the
musical tributes based onidentity and individuals.
You kind of blossomed that intoother genres or concentrations.
Tell us a bit what came next.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
I think Adam and I realised that we needed to come
up with a better business modelthan me being in every show,
because certainly doing a42-venue tour of Lady Beetle,
you know, realising every singleday that if I wasn't well
enough to do the show, itwouldn't happen that really kind
of helped me start tounderstand the importance of
(35:08):
bringing more people into ourbrand and expanding the group
and creating a whole bunch ofstars out of these incredible
artists.
And we started that really withChristmas Actually, which is
the Music of Love Actually liveon stage, which we've been doing
every December since 2018 andthat features myself and three
(35:30):
other performers during some ofthe heavy lifting and that's
kind of then blossomed intoother shows that have kind of
bigger cast, have sort of fourlead performers.
There's something about musicwhich is the music of romantic
comedies, like those famous, youknow, notting Hill when Harry
Met Sally, bridget Jones' Diary,those iconic songs from those
(35:51):
films, your song, which tackledthe music of Elton John through
real life stories that peoplegave us about loving his music.
Sisters are doing it forthemselves, which is the music
of the Sister Act movies.
So we just started to kind ofgrow and expand our offering,
which allowed us to work with amuch more diverse group of
artists and to really kind ofgrow and develop as a company as
(36:14):
well.
I have loved sitting in thedirector's chair as opposed to
being the person on stage,because for me, I just love
theatre.
It's not just about a love ofperforming for me, although I do
enjoy performing.
I've just always loved going tosee shows and seeing things
that really move me or impact meor affect me.
(36:34):
So for me, I get just as muchjoy out of sitting in the chair,
watching everyone being amazingon stage and feeling that sense
of collaboration and joy andpride, as I do being the person
taking the applause on stage.
I think you get so muchsatisfaction out of it.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
So that whole turning on its head from being mentored
to mentoring as well.
You see that so often in whatyou're doing with the Lord
Mayor's Christmas carols, forinstance, which has been an
amazing journey for you.
Can you tell us a bit aboutthat and the way you've engaged
with the community and accessissues that you've obviously
engendered in?
Speaker 3 (37:11):
that as well.
We were very fortunate to getthe tender to produce the Lord
Mayor's Christmas carols forBrisbane City Council from 2021
to 2024.
This was coming straight outthe back of COVID, so we were
actually still in a situationwhere Queensland's borders were
shut when we first got thatcontract, and we also got it
(37:31):
mid-year.
We got it in June and the showwas on the 8th of December or
something, so we had six monthsto learn how to put together
this enormous production atBrisbane's River Stage, 7,000
people watching it andhistorically, the show hadn't
been broadcast on television forseveral years.
I don't know if it was becauseit was a COVID year.
(37:53):
I don't know if it was justeveryone having a feel good
moment.
Maybe it was the calibre of theartists and the team that we
brought to the project, but fromour very first year, the full
two-hour show was broadcast on 9.
And that's happened every yearsince, which we're so thrilled
about, because now it feels likeBrisbane has a carols that can
(38:14):
compete Not that it is acompetition, and if it was, we'd
probably win but we can reallykind of stand on that national
stage with the Sydney andMelbourne carols.
For me, watching carols everyyear is such a tradition it's a
family kind of staple in thecalendar at that time of year.
So we wanted to create a newkind of family tradition and
(38:34):
represent Queensland the bestway that we could.
So things that I'm super proudof.
We're the only carols in thecountry that opens with a
welcome to country.
We engage with local elders andFirst Nations communities to
produce that segment at the topof the show, which I think is so
unbelievably vital gathering onFirst Nations country that we
(38:55):
acknowledge that and we alsolean in and celebrate the
incredible richness and culturalbackground that we are
surrounded by every day.
So that's been really amazing.
We've been collaborating with adeaf performer, shannon
Kettleton, for the last threeyears to perform an entire song
in Auslan no singing, just her.
(39:16):
Everyone thought we were a bitbonkers when we first said this
is what we want to do, but it isone of the most impacting
moments of the whole show.
It's just one of my favouritemoments every year and that's
been incredible because I dobelieve that arts are for
everybody.
I don't believe they're justfor the privileged elite.
I think arts and creativepractice and engagement is for
(39:38):
every single person.
Think about the pandemic.
When the world closed down,everyone turned to TV, movies,
music, painting, reading.
So for me, making thataccessible to everyone is so
important, and I know that thereis a lot of people in the
disabled community that areoften excluded from being
involved in large-scale eventslike that.
(39:59):
We wanted to make sure thistruly was a carols for everybody
.
So last year we had a dedicatedAuslan area and we had 150
patrons in that area with theirfamilies, and seeing shots into
the crowd when Shannon wasperforming of young deaf
children, being able to engagewith what was happening on stage
, to be able to sign back withher, was just one of those
(40:22):
amazing moments I will neverforget.
So we're hoping to grow andbuild on that.
This year.
We've got some really excitingnew accessible features that
we'll announce.
I did a play earlier this yearfor Queen St Theta called
Drizzle Boy, which was about ayoung man with autism.
It was featuring aneurodivergent actor playing a
neurodivergent role written byan autistic playwright.
(40:42):
That really opened my eyes torealise that we can do so much
more for the neurodiversecommunity as well.
So we've got some really coolnew features there for anyone
who has sensory issues or anykind of sensitivity needs.
We want anyone to feel welcometo come along, and we're also
really connecting with blind andlow vision patrons.
(41:04):
This year as well, we'll beannouncing some really cool
things there as well.
So access is something that I'mreally passionate about.
I'm not sure if you can tell,but it's something I really want
to do more of, and I think weall have a responsibility to
make everything that we're doingaccessible and inclusive for
everyone who comes along.
So it's been a really excitingjourney from that point of view,
(41:25):
because I never really saw usplaying in that space.
We're a music company.
I thought, oh, it's for moreserious works or funded
organisations.
They can do that work.
But I realised actually accessis easy.
If you want to put the time andeffort into it, it's really
easy.
The community are super excitedto engage.
(41:45):
If you get access consultantsand you do the work and you do
the awareness training, youlearn so many amazing things.
We're working with anorganisation this year called
Hidden Disabilities Sunflowers,which is an organisation I'd
never heard of until probablytwo months ago, and basically,
if you have a hidden disability,you can wear a lanyard or a pin
(42:06):
that identifies yourself.
You can find people that work atthe event that have a pin as
well, and they're a safe personto go and approach and that just
means you don't have to have anawkward conversation of
explaining why you needsomething.
You can just go to that person.
Then they're a safe person,they're an ally that can help
you with directions or somethingyou might not be able to cope
with by yourself.
(42:26):
And I was like that's so simple.
Why have I never heard of thatand why isn't that just part of
our everyday life?
So I think we've been on a realkind of exciting access journey
since taking over the carolsand yeah, I'm really I'm excited
to do more and to integrate amore diverse offering of
(42:48):
performers and storytelling onstage every year.
It's great.
It's so awesome to have thiscreative playground that I get
to just dream and imagine andwork with all these amazing
people every year.
It's such a treat.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
And it's no wonder the carols is such a vibrant
plethora of music and theatricalmanoeuvres and accessibility, I
mean all of that you'veintegrated into that in such a
seamless way.
Speaker 3 (43:13):
It's such a joyous, it's such a joyous occasion, it
is joyous and Christmas shouldbe that time of year when we all
feel loved and I just wanteveryone to feel that same thing
that Christmas can be a reallyhard time of year for people.
It can be really difficult.
And if we can just give backjust for two hours every
December even though it's monthsof work, that goes into that
(43:34):
two hours Again it just goesback to.
You never know what impact youmight be having on someone's
life at that moment and who theyare and what they're going
through.
For a young deaf person to seea beautiful deaf woman on stage
performing in Auslan I don'tknow the impact and the
reverberation that that hasthroughout that community, but
(43:55):
for that young person that mightbe that moment when they
realize that's a path that theycould follow as well.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
Exactly.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
And I think that's that's what I've talked about
when I say it's.
It's an honor, it's a privilege.
I'm like we get to like doChristmas in Brisbane for two
hours and we get to like showoff all this incredible
musicianship and creativeathleticism on stage and we have
a professional dance lineup.
You know we have 18 elitedancers on stage.
(44:20):
There's just there's noopportunity like that at
Christmas anywhere else in thecountry.
We do it.
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
It's wild.
Speaker 1 (44:28):
We get to watch it on TV a day later, or two days
later, exactly, and really allover again, exactly.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
I love it, so congratulations on that.
And it's no wonder that theaccolades just today twice I saw
Naomi Price on my emails thismorning, once accoladed for a
finalist in the 40 under 40awards.
Speaker 3 (44:46):
Yes, that's right.
Yes, and it's the top 40 youngleaders and it's a global
organization, 40 under 40 and inQueensland and weekend edition
have just announced theirinaugural finalists for that
award.
So very exciting and nominatedalongside my best friend and
co-founder of Little Red, adamBruins.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
And under 40 as well.
Speaker 3 (45:09):
Oh, I know, I know, I mean that fresh face, he's 30
under 30.
And also Dave Sleswick, who Iwent to uni with, also nominated
, and Courtney Stewart from thetheater company.
So lots of friends beingacknowledged Well
congratulations and welldeserved.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
And also, just before you walked in the door, some
finalists in Australian women inmusic yes, Australian women in
music awards for live creativeproduction.
Speaker 3 (45:34):
This one I was so blown away by because I've been
nominated and won awards forperformance before, which is
amazing, but I've never beenacknowledged for producing.
It's so amazing, particularlyas a woman in the music industry
, to be recognized for thosethousands of hours that you
spend doing all the other stuffso that we can do that two hours
(45:56):
on stage over Christmas isreally cool.
So, yeah, it was very chuffed.
And the list of nominees thisyear for that, for those awards,
is incredible Jessica Malboy,tones and I, jim Casadale, sarah
McLeod Like it's justincredible.
Women and yeah, and lots ofwomen being recognized for their
work behind the scenes, onstage and off, which is
(46:17):
incredible.
So, yeah, I'm stoked.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
Well done, I mean, and, as I said, well deserved.
But I actually thought beforewe just leave the performance, I
should really even thoughpeople are probably tired of
talking about COVID, I justremember what you did during
COVID Like in terms of bringingperformance into our living
rooms, and how did you go duringthat time.
What was it like?
Speaker 3 (46:39):
Oh, it was a roller coaster.
Yeah, it was wild.
I remember when the governmentannounced venue closures on
March 18, I, hundreds ofthousands of dollars went like
that for us and that was our,you know, our next year of work.
All lined up, gone, and all ofmy friends and colleagues were
(47:01):
in the exact same position.
Shows were closing down.
That it was just unbelievablyuncertain times for the arts
industry, as it was for a lot ofindustries.
But we seem to not really getvery much help and support along
the way, still waiting for thatemergency arts package that was
announced.
It's never.
It's never arrived.
So, yeah, I think it was areally hard time, but I don't
(47:26):
know what possessed me.
Maybe just a little bit ofstupidity, maybe maybe the same
thing that maybe get on theplane at the age of 19 and just
come to Australia.
Because I just thought, why not?
Within 48 hours of the venuesclosing, we launched a show
called the isolate late show.
We broadcast every week for 90minutes, an incredible live
(47:49):
music and variety show.
We did 10 episodes, so 900minutes of entertainment, whilst
everyone was locked down intheir bedrooms and in hotels.
We somehow managed to motivate350 arts professionals from
across the country to make theshow with us and it was wild
Like talk about baptism of fireand you nothing about bringing
(48:11):
together a broadcast program,nothing about pivoting into the
digital world but we just kindof had to figure it out right.
We were creative people so Ithink we brought really creative
solutions Amazing team.
I mean, I still can't watch someof it back because it just
makes me cry from how proud Iwas of everybody and getting
(48:31):
emotional now.
But I think at one of thehardest times in my friends'
lives they just decided thatthey wanted to look out and not
inwards and that's probably, Ithink, one of the bravest things
I've ever seen a group ofpeople do was unbelievable and
there's no question that got methrough too.
It got so many of us through.
(48:53):
That first three months allowedus to actually exercise our
creative muscle at a time whenwe were kind of being told that
what we did for a living wasn'tessential and I needed it, we
all needed it.
I'm so glad it found itsaudience and that the audience
at home loved it and itconnected with everyone watching
.
I look back and think I'm sograteful for it on a personal
(49:15):
level.
God, we were tired, we workedaround the clock.
Speaker 2 (49:19):
Oh, I can imagine and it was just amazing what you
did.
But also I think we forget toask those questions anymore.
We tend to go gliding over thisCOVID era and go.
Everyone's lives have becomebusy again and I wanted to ask
because I just remember thatthat was such an incredible time
and what you did was just likenot going down when the going
was tough.
You just got going againbecause I guess doing something
(49:41):
was better than doing nothing atall, totally.
And we raised money too.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
We raised $115,000 for the Actors and Entertainers
Benevolent Fund, and I know fora lot of people who weren't
involved in the show but whowere in our industry, just the
fact that we were out thereadvocating and raising money was
enough.
That money wasn't used by thosepeople.
That was enough to knowsomebody was in their corner and
someone was talking about thethings that no one was talking
(50:05):
about on the news Exactly.
So yeah, it was.
It is easy to skim over thosetimes because in a lot of ways,
everyone's sick of talking aboutit.
Speaker 2 (50:14):
And it's easy to do now because there's a different
time at the moment.
Speaker 3 (50:18):
So I just I wanted to know that, but also it's like
pretending that a trauma hasn'thappened or grief hasn't
happened or loss hasn't happened, like we lost a good two years
of creativity, productivity, ofeconomy in our industry, and we
were still feeling that lastyear, we're still feeling this
year, we'll probably still befeeling that for several years
to come, and the graduates, thepeople that were meant to launch
(50:42):
into 2020, getting their firstbig gig, probably had to go into
other industries and we've losttwo years of these extremely
elite, talented, trainedathletes from our industry
because they couldn't emerge,they couldn't arrive.
So there's all of these extrathings that we're still chasing
and sorting out and workingthrough.
Speaker 2 (51:03):
But thanks for asking Because a lot of people don't
Thank you for what you did.
I think it was very valued bythose who loved the Isolate Lake
show.
It was a good time.
It was a good time.
Maybe you could do anotherproduction on the Isolate Lake
show in the future about howCOVID impacted and what you did.
There could be some reallyfabulous.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
True, you never know Totally, or we do.
The 10 year anniversary 2030.
Right before the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
Maybe then we'll be prepared to talk about it again
Exactly.
I think Family is alsoimportant to you.
You've already talked aboutthat Life with Luke and being a
stepmom.
I mean, you know, tell us aboutthat.
Speaker 3 (51:35):
Life with Luke is amazing.
A lot of people ask.
The main thing people ask is dowe sing all the time at home?
The answer is yes, but it's notto each other, it's only to the
dog and it's only in a sillyvoice.
But yeah, our home is alwaysfilled with music.
There's always a record playingor somebody belting something
out in some corner of the house.
(51:55):
We just bought our first homeat the end of last year.
Speaker 1 (51:58):
Congratulations, thank you.
Speaker 3 (52:00):
Which you know, for us both being in the arts and
having suffered this kind of bigsetback in 2020, we were about
to buy our house in 2020.
So that was a big.
That was a tough pill toswallow Not not getting, not
getting that house.
And then, of course, nomortgage broker wanted to give
us money post pandemic either.
So it was, it was a big.
It was a big battle to getthere.
So when we got that house, itwas like oh, felt like I
(52:24):
immediately deleted the realestate apps off my phone.
I thought I can cut thatobsessive behavior out of my
life once and for all.
It was so lovely to finally go.
We did it.
When you've worked towardssomething and it's been a goal
for so many years to tick it offthe list is the relief.
It's like you finally switchedthe white noise on the
television switches off and yougo calm brain space.
(52:47):
Think of all the things I canachieve now that I'm not
obsessing over where we're goingto live.
So that was really amazing andso beautiful to have a home for
Luke and Olivia, my stepdaughter.
She just started high school atthe start of this year, so it's
so lovely to get in, getsettled before Christmas.
And my parents were here lastChristmas too for their first
ever Aussie Christmas.
(53:07):
So they got to stay with us inour first month in our home and
saw the carols, I think, andcame to the carols fresh off the
plane.
They battled jet lag and theywere still partying with us and
shepherd and swing on this onthe roof in a rooftop bar until
two o'clock in the morning afterthe carols.
They were amazing.
Speaker 2 (53:25):
There were such a dream.
And then you came up to Hamwardthe next day when we did the
post branch and we wereprivileged to be there and so
many other times.
Naomi, you've been so kind aword that I would certainly use
to categorise you and Luke andLittle Red.
We've had you here lots oftimes for some festival events
which we all we both love aswell, and I think we might be
(53:45):
seeing you at the festival thisyear as well.
Speaker 3 (53:48):
Yes, we're back.
We are back this year withthere's something about music
which is going to be at thePiazza, so we can't wait to come
back to Brisbane.
Speaker 2 (53:55):
We can't wait to have you.
But thank you, and I alwaysremember your absolute kindness
when we hosted a beautifulgoodbye party for our daughter
Isabella.
She was heading off to the USA,basically almost two years ago
now.
Two years, yeah well it is, andwe were having a party on the
day that the Queenslandgovernment declared that we
couldn't have a party.
So we told everybody to comebefore four o'clock, but,
unbeknownst to her, you and Lukehad planned to do a beautiful
(54:18):
impromptu performance.
That night.
Yes, we had, and I still wellwith tears when I think about
what you did instead, when youcontacted all her friends and
they were with their hairbrushessinging in the bathrooms and
you did a beautiful video tofarewell Isabella.
Speaker 3 (54:34):
New York Medley.
It was iconic, so beautiful,and I'll never forget your
kindness.
Speaker 2 (54:38):
That was one of the most valued things that's ever
happened in our life and wethank you so sincerely for that
my pleasure.
So I know we're kind of out oftime, but we have to ask you two
very pressing issues.
What do you want to be when yougrow up?
Speaker 3 (54:51):
I want to be the creative director of the
Olympics opening ceremony 2032.
And then, after I've done that,I want to be a vineyard owner
in Tasmania.
Oh yeah, I want the quiet life.
I want to crush some grapes andpour some bubbles and I just
want to be fabulous and havepeople, have people come to me.
(55:11):
I just I love Tassie and I lovewineries.
Yeah, very much a wineenthusiast, maybe sometimes my
detriment.
So, yeah, I think that reallyappeals to me, that life.
I'm sure there's almost nomoney in it, but who cares?
Speaker 2 (55:27):
Well, you will have already done the Olympics by
then.
That's right.
You could probably retireAbsolutely.
Speaker 3 (55:31):
I'll be retired and I'll be swimming in my coins
like Scrooge McDuck.
Speaker 2 (55:34):
Oh my goodness, I'm going to become your biggest
barricade for that, yes, I'll beon the reference list.
I'll be on the reference list.
Speaker 3 (55:39):
I just consider everything I do in my life in
audition for the Olympics.
I'm like every single day in mylife I'm just taking another
step forward towards that dream.
Speaker 2 (55:47):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (55:47):
Isn't that funny, all the athletes have got their
like gold medal dream.
That's my gold medal dream.
What is the gold medal?
You just got to speak it out,right?
It's just not me.
That's exactly what I loveabout it.
Speaker 2 (55:57):
I love it so much as well.
It's been fabulous and I'mgoing to be on the reference
list.
I'd be very intrigued to seeyour answer to the next question
which is when we always end on.
You're such a bubbly brightperson anyway.
What brings you happiness?
Speaker 3 (56:10):
What truly brings me happiness is a good belly laugh.
I think I like laughing almostas much as sex.
It's just so.
I just love really having agreat giggle with friends and
family and I think feeling thatmoment it's.
There's a magic moment in anygathering where you look around
(56:33):
the room and everything's justsparkling and you feel
completely yourself andcompletely accepted and
completely loved.
That, to me, is happiness.
It's that crystal clear momentwhere you think life can't get
any better than this.
Look at who's here, look at thejoy, look at how much love
(56:54):
there is in the room.
That's happiness.
If you have those moments inyour life, then you are a
wealthy person, because I thinkjoy is what brings us that
abundance in life.
So, yeah, that to me ishappiness, thank you.
Speaker 2 (57:07):
You radiate and exude warmth, entertainment,
happiness, and it's been such apleasure to have you on the show
today.
Speaker 3 (57:13):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (57:14):
Thank you, beautiful girl can't wait to see what you
do next.
Speaker 1 (57:16):
Thank you, marisa thank you for joining us on
Bubbles and Benevolence.
We hope you enjoyed our chatwith Naomi today and, as usual,
if you have any questions, youcan send them through to podcast
at handworthhousecomau.
That's H-A-N-W-O-R-T-H now ifyou want more from Naomi.
There's something about music.
(57:38):
The ultimate rumcom moviemixtape.
Live tickets are now on salethrough the brisbane festival
website.
This irresistible homage toromantic comedy soundtracks is
on for 10 days only in Septemberas part of the brisbane
festival, so don't miss yourchance and get tickets through
the brisbane festival website orthe link in the episode
(57:58):
description.
We'll see you there.
If you enjoyed our podcasttoday, please rate, review and
subscribe so you don't miss anyincredible interviews and
no-transcript.
(01:07:37):
You such an interesting storyand what an incredible adventure
(01:08:18):
around the world at such ayoung age.
As many of you know, or youshould know by now, marisa will
be once again dancing in dancingCEOs, this time alongside
loralie cunningham, in the 2024dancing CEOs all stars event
benefiting women's legal serviceQueensland and katelin has an
(01:08:39):
incredibly generous offer forthe first person to register a
my giving table event benefitinga dancing CEO for 2024.
If you are the first toregister, you will receive a
free bait to plate dinner cookedby katelin and kev in your own
home for up to 10 people.
(01:09:01):
So head to the my giving tablewebsite now or go through the
link in the episode descriptionto register your my giving table
party now.
As usual.
If you have any questions, youcan send them through to podcast
at handworthhousecomau.
That's h-a-n-w-o-r-t-h.
(01:09:21):
If you like today's episode,please rate, review and
subscribe so you never miss anepisode.
We will be back soon withanother special guest cheers.
Welcome to Bubbles and Benevolence, the podcast
where we pop the bubbles tosuccess and dive deep into the
benevolent hearts of those whohave achieved it.
In this podcast, we'll sit downwith successful business leaders
, philanthropists, nonprofitworkers and more to discuss
their journeys, the lessonsthey've learned along the way,
and how they're using theirsuccess to make a positive
(00:20):
impact on the world.
So grab a glass of bubbles andjoin us as we explore the
intersection of business andbenevolence and discover what it
truly means to be successful.
On today's interview, we have awoman whose name is synonymous
(00:42):
with talent, naomi Price, atalent that will warm your heart
and tickle your ribs.
Known for her uncannyappearance as a dell on stage,
her appearance on the Voice,mentored by Ricky Martin, and an
array of artist and moviesoundtrack dedications that will
keep you dancing and laughingall night long.
After starting her own companywith Adam Bruins, naomi Price
(01:04):
and her team have creatednon-stop entertainment and
dedicated time and effort toensuring entertainment is
accessible to everyone.
So sit back and try not tolaugh too hard as we interview
Naomi Price.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Well, it's a thrill to have Naomi Price here today,
one of my very favorite peoplein Brisbane.
Naomi, Thank you so much.
You've been so busy.
Thanks for popping into theoffice and saying hello to us
today.
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Oh my gosh, I love it .
I love being here.
I even wore my Hamworth purplefor you.
Speaker 2 (01:32):
You are so, so ready for this.
Speaker 1 (01:34):
On brand.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
Thank you, thank you so much so on brand.
You also walked in with some ofmy favorite bubbles, but why
did you choose Perrier-Jouette?
Speaker 3 (01:42):
Well, one of my best friends, bex Easterman.
She bought me my very firstbottle of it and I remember
taking my first sip and thinking, oh my gosh, this is heaven in
a glass, and so I think it's mygo-to, go-to fizz.
You know, I think we've got abig jar at home of corks and we
write the date and who we drankthe wine with and we put that
(02:04):
into the jar and I would sayprobably about 20% of them are
Perrier-Jouette champagne corks.
They just always mark thosemilestone occasions, so this
kind of felt like the perfectoccasion to have another drop
and they're always such prettybottles aren't they?
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Yeah, stunning, particularly there are vintage
ones with the hand-painted stuffand, yes, I haven't got my
knits on those too often in mylife but they're usually behind
lock and key, aren't they?
That's correct.
They're the ones.
Well cheers and thank you forjoining us today.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Naomi, we're so thrilled to have you.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
You burst into the Brisbane scene.
I actually think it must havebeen around 20 years ago now.
Speaker 3 (02:39):
Yeah, it's 20 years since I moved to Brisbane.
Isn't that wild.
I can't quite believe it.
It's gone very, very quicklyand also, at the same time, it
does feel like an entirelifetime.
It's been my adult lifetime.
So, yeah, it's incredible tothink I've been here this long.
And so where did?
Speaker 2 (02:57):
you come from and why did you come?
Our game, obviously, but tellus that story.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
I grew up in Brighton on the south coast of the UK
and I am the oldest of four.
I come from a very musicalfamily.
All of my siblings sing andplay instruments and we always
grew up with music in the houseand two very creative parents
that just loved introducing usto different music and we had
(03:24):
the most incredible musiceducation everything from Chopin
to the Beatles to the RollingStones and to the new romantics.
We just we listened to it allin our house.
So very lucky in that regard.
And I spent the first half of mylife in the UK and I actually
got into drama school in Londonand I was going to going to go
(03:49):
to university there and Iremember the open day at Royal
Holloway.
I walked around and it wasdreary and dark and raining and
everyone was so miserable and Ijust thought I am going to hate
this.
This is just not me at all.
And at the same time we hadreally good family friends who
lived on the Sunshine Coast andthey'd been saying to me for
years move to Australia, you'dlove it here, it's, it never
(04:13):
rains, it's such a beautifulplace to live.
And so I applied for universityhere in Brisbane and I got in
and I packed my bags and I flewthe next day and I didn't really
know anybody here.
I just, I don't know.
When you're that age, you justthink anything's possible.
So I think now what a horriblechild to like leave my parents
(04:33):
and leave my empty bedroombehind and just take off to the
other side of the world.
But at the time I was so fullof excitement and hope and the
prospect of the future and so,yeah, I just, I just bit the
bullet and went for it.
Speaker 2 (04:47):
It's a big decision for someone so young yeah
definitely I think it's.
Speaker 3 (04:51):
I don't think I could have done it without Mum and
Dad's support.
They're very encouraging of mechasing my dreams and you know,
look, I guess if I messed it up,they have three more to follow.
So, you know it wasn't like Iwas their only chance, but
they've been incrediblysupportive over the years and,
you know, have never said, oh,come back.
You know you should move backhere, and they've never put
(05:13):
pressure on me to come back.
They've always seen how happyand how I've been thriving here
in Australia.
So I think I'm very, veryfortunate to have that support,
because I do know that familysupport is everything in life
and without it you kind ofbattle on resiliently and with
it you can just step intopotential.
(05:33):
You know, and that support ofmy loved ones and people I love
most in my life has undoubtedlycontributed to where I am today.
Speaker 2 (05:42):
It feels to me that you kind of burst into the scene
in Brisbane, though it was farfrom that, wasn't it?
I was trying to think when wemet, was it in the Brisbane
arcade one night?
Speaker 3 (05:51):
Very likely, yeah.
Speaker 2 (05:53):
I think there was some kind of one of those arcade
festivals.
I think I was drawn to Lukeoriginally because I'm the same,
yeah, but I have a feeling Ihad seen him on stage prior to
that Very likely.
And some amateur orprofessional productions, I
can't remember.
So I think we sauntered over tohim to say hello and got double
barrel goodness, because we'vegot you as well.
(06:14):
Two for the price of one, Ithink so.
Yeah, so it would be more than10 years ago, would that be
right?
I?
Speaker 3 (06:20):
would think so.
Yeah, and actually I wastalking to somebody at an event
last Friday and they know you aswell, and they said how do you
know Marisa?
And I said I don't know.
I kind of feel like she's likeGlinda.
She just appears in the bubblewhen you need her, like some
beautiful fairy godmother, andjust blesses you with magic and
then exits.
And I'm like I was trying tothink as well, when was that
(06:41):
defining moment?
But you've been such a constantpresence in my life and such a
huge supporter of, well, of allartistic endeavors here in
Brisbane Like it's amazing thesupport you give to art.
Speaker 2 (06:51):
So we love the arts, but I was hoping that you could
articulate the day, but I thinkyou would be quite right.
Speaker 3 (06:56):
I think it was.
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Brisbane Festival Not .
Brisbane, I think somethinghappening in there.
I just remember having aconversation that seemed like it
was a bit stilted because wewere newly acquainted, right?
That's never happened since.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
No, never.
I've always felt 100%comfortable with myself, with
you.
So I think there's somethingreally collegiate about Brisbane
and about the people we know,right, and that there's kind of
a real cross pollination as well.
I don't feel like there aregroups of people that just do
one thing.
I feel so included in otherindustries and you know there's
(07:32):
so much kind of intersectionthat happens between fashion and
art and business andphilanthropy, and that's, I
think, one of the reasons I loveit is that you don't really
know how you meet people.
You just meet them and thenthey become your fierce friend.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Well, I'm very happy to be a fierce friend, although
I think Sophia and Jamie mightcontest me being Glinda.
I think they more have me onthe other side of the wicked
witch.
Definitely not.
I'm sure they could contest youon that one.
That is slander.
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Absolutely not, no way.
The wicked witch of the west isnowhere near as glam as you,
marisa.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Oh my goodness, so you're so complimentary, but
when I saw you today I realizedjust how long it is since we've
actually seen you face to face,probably since the Lord made
Christmas carols, or somethingaround there, very likely which
we'll definitely go into.
Speaker 3 (08:15):
It's been a big start to the year.
I say start, but we're morethan halfway through, so it's
just gone very quickly this year.
Speaker 2 (08:21):
So when you exited Brighton in the UK as a young
one destined to the big world ofBrisbane and was it QUT that
you went to it was.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
QUT I did a Bachelor of Creative Industries and Drama
, so I meant actually I'm atrained actor, not a singer or
qualified to do anything else Ido in my life.
Yeah, but I have some amazingalumni from that year group.
Dave Sleswick, who owns theTivoli and the Princess, is one
of my now one of my fellowstudents and now one of my
(08:52):
colleagues.
So there's some reallybeautiful people that we were
all in that sort of early 2000sintake together and still see
each other and work togethertoday.
Speaker 2 (09:02):
Then what happened?
Like after QUT.
Speaker 3 (09:05):
After QUT I did a lot of community theatre and kind
of I feel like in a lot of waysI did my apprenticeship.
You know, at uni you do a lotof theory, but I didn't in that
particular course.
I didn't get a lot of practicalinput or as much as I wanted to
.
So I did a lot of communitytheatre and really kind of got
to tackle lots of roles that Iwould never usually get to play
(09:27):
and I'm all the while working inlike all sorts of things
hospitality, marketing, againall things I'm not qualified to
do but just wanted to supportthis performance work that I was
pursuing.
And over the years it kind ofmoved from being that thing that
I would race home from work todo and do in my spare time.
(09:49):
It started to kind of bleedinto my day to day life and then
I booked my first professionalplay in 2008.
I was in the Wishingwell at LeBois Theatre and that cast was
just all kinds of wild BrianProbitz, eugene Gilfeder, helen
Cassidy, leon Kane, sallyMcKenzie, andrew Buchanan, dan
(10:10):
Cristani like it was just abaptism of fire for a young grad
to be walking into a cast likethat.
But I got to work with HelenHoward and Michael Futcher and
just learn the magic and thepower of an actor on stage and
how we could create thesedifferent worlds just using a
napkin and a plate.
And for me, it was the kind ofwork I love making.
(10:31):
It's imaginative and it asksthe audience to come on the
journey with you, and it's notgrandiose sets and costumes.
You have to fill in the blanksas an audience member, but you
go with it and it all makestotal sense.
So I was very lucky that thatwas my first professional
experience and that I got towork with so many amazing
luminaries of the stage.
And then I just keptauditioning for things and I did
(10:54):
Peter Pan at Q-Pack and JesusChrist Superstar with Luke, and
then in 2012 I toured intoschools with Shakenstair Theatre
Company.
Speaker 2 (11:04):
A lot of people don't know this.
No, I didn't know that, but Iheard about the theatre company
yes, so tell us about that.
Speaker 3 (11:10):
So I was on the road with two other actors for a year
and we learned eight shows,eight 60-minute shows.
So we would do 60-minute versionof Romeo and Juliet or of
Hamlet or a play about sort ofbullying and moral consequences.
We learned eight different showsand we would do any combination
of those eight shows everysingle day of the week,
(11:30):
sometimes three shows a day,driving all over Queensland in a
big green van, pulling the setout, setting it up in the
classroom or a theatre, and Ialways say that was like boot
camp for me.
You can do anything in theworld.
If you have done the dyingscene at the end of Romeo and
Juliet in fluoro lighting at8.30 in the morning in front of
(11:51):
50 grade 9s, you can do anything.
So that just taught me to notbe afraid of the audience and to
always value that connectionwith the people that are
watching you and neverunderestimating the impact
you're having at any givenmoment.
And for me it was yeah, it'sdefinitely one of those moments
that I realised how it's aprivilege to be a performer and
(12:14):
to have that platform, to havethat voice, to bring someone's
story to life.
It's yeah, it's a realprivilege, which not a lot of
people would say about schoolstouring, but that was my
takeaway.
Speaker 2 (12:23):
Well, I would have mentioned, there were a pretty
harsh critical audience.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
Oh yeah.
Speaker 1 (12:27):
So what did?
Speaker 2 (12:27):
you learn about, because I'm sure lots of people
would love to get into theatrein any way, shape or form.
So what was your take homemessage from, from that year of
travelling around and a prettyhard, as I said, pretty harsh
audience, I would suspect.
Speaker 3 (12:40):
Yeah, I think my big takeaway is how much I love
comedy.
So for me, applause issomething that you do because
it's a social cue.
A song ends you clap.
A show ends you clap.
You clap.
If you hated it, you clap.
If they sang really badly, youstill clap because it's polite
Laugh does not polite Laugh,that is involuntary.
(13:03):
People only laugh if you arebeing funny.
And I think that year on theroad I was like I love comedy so
much.
I love the fact that you canflip a situation on its head by
just having the most brilliantone liner and being able to
improvise in the moment and justit's like sleight of hand or
magician's trick.
(13:24):
It's just so brilliant.
There's nothing like greatcomedy.
So that's probably my bigtakeaway and that's what led me
to write my first show.
Speaker 2 (13:33):
What an amazing story .
But were you like that as a kid?
Were you kind of the the smartyone in the room?
Were you the funny one?
Speaker 3 (13:40):
I never really thought of myself as funny.
I mean now, obviously I thinkI'm an absolute hoot we do too
but I don't think I ever thoughtof myself as funny.
I was very studious as a kid,very academic, loved school,
took way too many subjects andas a GCSE student I think I did
(14:00):
like 13 or 14 subjects Would do,did some on my lunch break
because there was no space in mytimetable to do them.
I was the head girl.
I was misgoody, two shoes,academic and driven.
I don't know if I thought I wasfunny, but I realized growing up
I had so many comic idols.
My brothers and I always usedto watch things like Annie and I
(14:25):
think Carol Burnett as MissHannigan is a truly iconic
performance in any film ortelevision series ever, and when
she kicks her foot through thewall in Easy Street when she's
coming down the stairs, I didn'trealize.
Those things go into your brainas a kid and they really do
shape your sense of humor.
And now I look back and I'mlike well, it's no wonder my
sense of humor is just camp andridiculous, because I was
(14:47):
watching Carol Channing, carolBurnett, like you know.
I just absolutely adoredanybody that was over the top
and ridiculous and wasn't afraidto look silly.
So I think it's probably reallyimpacted the performer I've
become today.
Speaker 2 (15:03):
Probably, though, a bit of an advantage when you
think about some of the thingsthat happen in life.
Sometimes it's probably betterto look at people as being quite
silly rather than, you know,silly in a comic way rather than
just saying silly, right, Iremember there's a bit of a.
I don't know if you've watchedthe White Lotus in Sicily.
And my husband's like killinghimself, laughing at this whole
(15:26):
series because they're usingdialect in Sicily, which he's
been brought up with in hisfamily.
They laugh at the funniestthings, like I think there's a I
don't quote me on getting itright, but there was something
when they were describing a manwho they had just seen in White
Lotus and said you know the manwith the crooked nose.
Well, that's kind of a humorthat Phillips family in Innisfal
(15:49):
has been brought up with theirwhole life, they'll call them.
You know fluffy eyebrows,they'll call fluff.
Have you seen fluffy eyebrowslately?
And the fact that that humor inthe everyday?
That's why they love Seinfeld.
So much is kind of it must becultural, because when it was in
White Lotus he was on the floorwith laughter at the kind of
the I guess, the subliminalhumour in the situation because
(16:11):
it was cultural.
Yes, so I think sometimeshumour gets you out of those
tricky situations.
But I'm sure these peopledidn't really appreciate being
called fluffy eyebrows orwhatever it might, crooked nose,
but that's how they used todefine people rather than their
names.
And Flop says, inevitably, ifSeinfeld's his very favourite
show because it seems to be ashow about his life, that's
amazing.
He thinks he's George by theway.
(16:31):
Amazing.
Speaker 3 (16:32):
He says I'm George.
He says so much.
I think the way you grow up andyour culture and your
background absolutely informsyour sense of humour.
I mean, I think for all of mycamp American comic idols, you
know, I also loved Monty Pythonand I love British humour.
I mean I love Ricky Gervais, Iloved Gavin and Stacy.
(16:54):
There's just something reallyquintessentially unique about
British humour that I reallyappreciate, and it's dry.
I think that's why I reallyloved.
I've always felt at home inAustralia, I suppose from the
European heritage that's here.
But there's a very similarsense of humour.
Aussie humour and Britishhumour is very self-deprecating,
(17:15):
very dry, very, we can laugh atourselves and I think that's
something that I've always loveddoing as well.
So yeah, I totally get it.
Your background informs whatyou find funny, for sure.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Absolutely Well.
You always see it in your showsas well.
There's always that very local,very current humour which I'm
sure changes as the show isgoing to transition.
Speaker 3 (17:34):
Oh, always, always, the script's never finished.
Speaker 2 (17:36):
Sometimes we think you've just said that for the
first time on stage, becauseeveryone's in the back just
killing themselves on stage.
Speaker 3 (17:41):
Sometimes I have, which is terrifying for everyone
else on stage because they'relike, oh God, where's she going?
But look, you can't beat it.
I mean, observational andsituational humour is just.
It's so joyous.
One of my favourite things todo is go into the crowd and talk
to an audience member becauseinevitably, they will always
give you much better materialthan you could have come up with
yourself.
So I love that stuff.
Speaker 2 (18:03):
And you're very good at joining it as well.
The voice yes, Of course we'vegot to ask you about the voice.
Everyone wants to know what wasit like, particularly what was
Ricky Martin like?
Speaker 3 (18:12):
Well, the voice.
I was weird.
I was thinking about the voicejust yesterday because some of
the big milestones in my lifehave been marked by hair colour
changes and the voice was noexception.
And I remember vividly theywanted to dye my hair like peach
, but the first time they did itit was like orange proper
(18:33):
cartoon orange and they bleachedmy eyebrows so I looked utterly
bizarre and I remember lookingin the mirror and going, huh, I
don't know who I am anymore.
I haven't lost my sense of self.
Thankfully, I found it back thenext week when my hair was the
right colour and they put theseamazing extensions in.
I was like I'm a pop star.
But I was weird.
I was thinking about it justyesterday and reflecting on what
(18:55):
a truly bonkers experience itis.
It's, there's nothing.
You can never, ever describewhat it is like being on a
competition reality show.
It's like the outside worldceases to exist for that,
however many months you're on it, and you're in this weird
bubble, this microcosm ofsociety, where you care about
(19:16):
really insignificant things likehaving your eyebrows bleached,
and you constantly turn over inyour head like am I doing it
right?
Am I presenting myself well?
Am I being a nice person towork with.
Did I sing as well as I couldhave in that episode?
It's quite a bizarreenvironment to be in and a
(19:36):
little like maybe any athleticcompetition where you train for
the games for the Commonwealthgames or this big match or
whatever it might be.
But it was like its intensecompetition environment and
you're also trying to be a goodperson to work with as well as
do your best work.
Yeah, it was a lot, but amazing,so amazing to be part of
(19:57):
something that's got millions ofdollars budget, incredible sets
like I played piano in one songand they had like this enormous
grand piano.
It was just covered in candleswhere I lit by hand and like I'm
sure I could have gone up inflames I had fire extinguishers
waiting to put me out if I didbut there was just some really
cool things that I'm like I willprobably never get to do that
(20:20):
again, but how amazing.
And one of those pinch myselfmoments was singing with Ricky
Martin, was.
It's one of those out of bodyexperiences where I remember
looking him in the eye and goingis this my actual life?
Is this really happening?
And I could feel myselffloating out of body and then
going no, stay there, staypresent.
You want to remember thisforever.
(20:40):
So I feel really like it'squite a vivid memory for me,
because I think I was just sointensely like locked into him
and I was like remember this,remember this, remember this,
I'd be locked into him too.
Speaker 2 (20:51):
If it happened to me, I'd be locked into it as well.
Speaker 3 (20:54):
It's.
He's pretty easy to get lost in.
He's an amazing guy andincredibly kind.
Just show me the importance ofremembering people's names and
being kind to everyone aroundyou, and that doesn't matter how
busy or successful or fabulousyou become at the core of who
you are, that doesn't change.
(21:15):
And he said an amazing thing toLuke and I once we went to his
house for dinner.
Speaker 2 (21:18):
As you do.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
Yeah, no, another pinch for a South Maron.
I was like, what am I doinghere?
Speaker 2 (21:24):
What do you bring to his house for dinner?
Well, I brought a bottle ofwine.
Do you want a glass?
Speaker 1 (21:27):
or something.
Speaker 3 (21:28):
No, I bought this really amazing bottle of wine
and we didn't have much money atthe time.
So I remember thinking, okay,I've got to spend as much money
as I possibly can.
I bought this beautiful bottleof red.
He opens the door and in thatmoment I remembered he wasn't
drinking, he doesn't drink.
And I went, oh shit, and he waslike hi, how are you?
And I was like hi, I boughtthis bottle of wine, thinking
(21:51):
God.
And it was the first time I methim too, because it was when
Luke was doing the voice and wewent over for dinner and I just
remember thinking, oh well,that's that then, not knowing
two years later I would end upperforming with him.
Speaker 2 (22:02):
Sorry, you were saying we needed going to his
house.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
Yeah, he said.
I remember he said to us thatnight he pulled us to one side
and he said to Luke you know,how are you going with the show
and how are you going withpeople recognizing you and all
these things?
And looks like it's bizarre,it's just the weirdest thing.
He said I want you to remembersomething Television is not real
.
It's not real life.
Who you are when you go home atnight and you close the door,
that's who you really are.
Who you are as a partner, whoyou are as a father, who you are
(22:28):
to your dog, who you are toyour family, to your friends,
that's the person you are and Ithink that's something we've
really held on to is like thatsense of not losing integrity
and, no matter where your careertakes you and what
opportunities coming away, notlosing your connection to doing
the right thing, being honorable, having integrity.
(22:50):
I think that was something thatreally rang true for us and
certainly that's the person weknow no Ricky to be is someone
that lives that every day andhe's a beautiful father and so
kind to his loved ones aroundhim, and I think that was
probably the best role model wecould ask for really.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
And so that role modeling has been very important
.
Speaker 3 (23:07):
You've mentioned quite a few of them already,
yeah.
Speaker 2 (23:10):
But I know you've worked with some amazing other
artists and local like KateMiller, hi Key and.
I know.
So how do you choose a mentor,or I'm sure you mentor people as
well.
So really interested for giveme if I'm wrong, but
particularly in your industry,connectivity is incredibly
important.
Yeah, to be seen and to bethought about.
(23:33):
I guess, when you're beingadvocated for I'm sure you've
had lots of mentors Can youexplain back to relationships
and why were they good?
Speaker 3 (23:42):
mentors either come into your life and you discover
them in real time and you decidethis is someone I want to stay
in touch with and I want to keeplooking up to.
And then there are people thatyou seek out, that you go.
That person has got somethingthat I want and I want to be
like that.
I want to emulate them, and youchase after them and I've had
(24:02):
both of those.
I've had people like Ricky thatI thought, oh, every in a
million years will I get to workwith this person, let alone
actually kind of engage withthem personally.
So this, absolutely thosepeople that arrived by surprise.
But then there's been peoplelike a few years ago I was doing
a beautiful the Carol Kingmusical and I was performing
eight times a week in thisamazing show but it took me away
(24:25):
from my partner and mystepdaughter and my home and I
remember thinking I love beingin the show and I love the
people and I love the joy theshow brings, but I feel like
there's something more I want todo and I want to grow and I
want to be seen as a leader andI want to advocate and I want to
have a platform, but I justdon't know where to start
because everyone just thinks ofme as this fun performer, and so
(24:48):
I sought out this amazing womanwho has led funded
organizations and has was onboards and just an incredible
arts leader, and she very kindlyagreed to have, you know, a few
meetings with me and she saidsome things to me that just
transformed the way I looked atmyself, the way I wanted to
present myself.
(25:08):
When I go about choosing amentor, it's either through that
authentic connection, when youmeet somebody and you go this
feels like you're at that placethat I want to get to and I need
to chase after that or you lookaround you and you go.
Who is there in my life?
I'm feeling this need to grow.
Who can I ask?
I don't really kind of activelythink about it, but I feel like
(25:31):
life's gifted me some prettyamazing people along the way.
Speaker 2 (25:34):
You do find your niche, don't you?
There are people who yougravitate towards and who are
gravitated with you, and I thinkthat's part of life, isn't?
It's part of the joy, andsometimes there's surprise
elements that happen to you aswell.
And what about longevity inyour obviously your career path?
Yeah, we see yours energeticnow, as I first met you probably
(25:56):
as energetic when you steppedoff the plane into Australia.
But I'm guessing the Little RedCompany became a fixture of
your plan for a whole lot ofreasons other than the fact that
you thought being an arts kindof management organisation or an
artistic developer would be agood idea.
Tell us about Little Red andhow did it come about?
Speaker 3 (26:15):
Well, I was touring with Shaken Stare in 2012 and
rediscovering how much I lovedcomedy.
Myself and my best friend, adamBruins, were sitting on my back
deck one day having way toomany gins, and I started doing
impressions of Adele and the wayAdele speaks because English
sense of humour and Adam startedlaughing so hard and I was like
(26:37):
, oh my God, this is such a joy.
I love seeing someone that Ifind so funny, finding me this
funny.
There was an open mic nightcoming up at a little showroom
in Albion and Adam twisted myarm to get up and to perform as
Adele in front of these people.
And so I was going to get upand do rolling in the deep and
then do a bit of thatobservational improvised comedy
(27:00):
and then do what became a prettyinfamous 11 minute version of
someone like you, where I did animpression of Celine Dion and
an impression of Taylor Swiftand a whole bunch of different
singers.
And so I did it, and in theaudience that night was the
director of the local CabaretFestival and they asked us to
develop it into a full lengthshow, which we came back and
(27:22):
presented a few months later.
That show, rumour has it wasthe start of the next chapter of
my life and I've performed overa hundred times as Adele and
we've done it at Sydney OperaHouse and Queen's Empathomy Arts
Centre, adelaide FestivalCentre, quai, le Lump Performing
Arts Centre.
It's kind of like that was whatI became known as was the Adele
girl.
Adam and I were getting allthese inquiries about could I
(27:45):
come and do this festival?
Could I do Sydney?
Could I do Melbourne?
And I was like, well, we need acompany name, like we need
people to take us seriously.
They're not going to take usseriously if it's just Adam and
Nim having a laughcom and that'sall it was.
It was just us doing somethingthat brought us joy.
We just plucked a name out ofthin air.
I played Little Red Riding Hoodin a musical in Into the Woods
(28:07):
in like 2005 and I really lovedplaying her and she was wicked
and funny and delicious and Iwas like, well, that's kind of
us.
So we named the company,registered the name and then
started touring Rumour has itand that was kind of the
beginning.
Speaker 2 (28:23):
I didn't realise.
Rumour has.
It was the beginning, it wasthe start.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
It was the start and in a weird way and Adam always
says this when he watches theshow he says I don't know where
Adele ends and you begin,because what I realised about
cabaret, and about playingparticularly with character in
cabaret, is that when you put onthe persona of someone else,
you can say things that are yourtruth, but everyone just goes,
oh, that's just the character.
So you give yourself permissionto say things that maybe I
(28:50):
wouldn't say as Naomi, but Adelecan say them.
And Adam said but it allowed usto explore a whole bunch of
things that he and I hadopinions on, like parenthood and
what it means to be a jiltedlover and I don't know, just a
whole heartbreak and growing upin the UK, Like it was all these
(29:11):
topics that I identified withthat were in her life as well,
and I thought, oh, this isreally interesting.
It's really slippery betweenthe two of us and I kind of feel
a bit like I can say anythingas this person and I think
that's why people loved it somuch, because you would arrive
and, like you say, you wouldn'tknow what I was going to say.
Next, it was just no filter,completely just able to tell
(29:37):
people to f off if I wanted to,and because of who she is and
she's so possible in her skin,that gave me permission to do
that too.
So, yeah, I've got a lot tothank.
Speaker 2 (29:46):
Adele, for have you ever received any kind of notice
that she knows about this show?
Speaker 3 (29:51):
I've had an anecdotal bit of feedback that once
someone on her management teamsaw our show playing at the
Sydney Opera House and was likehow come this girl that's not
even Adele gets to play theSydney Opera House?
And like we haven't evenbrought Adele to.
Australia yet.
So I did hear once that maybeher team knew of the show.
But I don't know.
(30:12):
I mean, I've always said Iwould love her to know about the
show because I think she wouldfeel understood if she saw it.
And particularly right at thestart, like 10 years ago, we
didn't know anything about her.
She was a private celebrity.
Now she's doing Vegas everyweekend and she's sharing more
about her life and she's a bitmore open, does more interviews.
But 10 years ago if we werejust filling in the blanks.
(30:34):
But I remember going to see herboth nights that she played at
the Gabba oh, that was amazingand I had so many messages from
people that were there and theywere like you wrote her into
existence, like everything thatshe said on stage.
It's like that could have beenlifted from the rumor hazard
script and it was kind of weirdthat synergy or there was.
I don't know.
I just always felt like Ireally on some level got her as
(30:57):
a human being.
So I hope one day she does seeit.
I will always send her thevideo.
If you're listening to Dell,send me a message, I'll send you
the show.
Oh my God.
Speaker 2 (31:06):
I love that audition process that your people were
auditioning for a Dell and shewas one of them.
Yeah, that's right.
I think you one day you'regoing to see rumor hazard and
suddenly out will come NaomiPrice.
I think we'd never be fabulouswhen she was here in Brisbane.
Speaker 3 (31:19):
She wasn't doing any press.
I had the busiest two weeks ofmy life Because no one like nine
news 10, all the radio stations, no one could get her into an
interview.
So they just put me.
So there's actually an amazingviral video of me in B105 Studio
and I said I'd be pre recordingit because I'm going to swear.
And they said go for it, youcan say whatever you want, will
(31:41):
bleep you out.
So it's literally two minutesof me just swearing at the radio
announcers.
And they tried to trick me aswell, because they were saying
oh, you're at the Grammys, butthe Grammys wasn't till that
night.
So they interviewed me and theywere like and how was the
Grammys?
I was like it was good.
Yeah, I just made it up, I justtotally freestyle, because it
hadn't even happened.
Oh yeah, I had a busy couple ofweeks.
Speaker 2 (32:04):
I'm the telly is Adele, amazing.
So that was a really littlemoment.
And then, of course, there wasother similar but different
wrecking balls.
Speaker 3 (32:12):
Yeah, then we created a show about Miley Cyrus called
wrecking ball, and then wecreated a show full of what's
2017 season called Lady Beatle,which is the music of the
Beatles told through the eyes ofa mystery character who you
only find out till the end, andthat show toured to 42 venues in
(32:32):
2019, our biggest ever tour andwe toured all throughout
Australia.
Yeah, that I'm really proud ofthat show.
I think the first three showsrumour wrecking ball, lady
Beatle.
They were all exploringidentity and I think that was
absolutely in line with whereAdam and I were at that point in
our lives.
We were really into reinventionand really drawn to people that
(32:56):
were either reinventing genresor reinventing themselves, like
Miley Cyrus, or reinventing thatperiod of history.
The Beatles had so much impacton the world around them
Socially.
I think we were really reallykind of interested in exploring
that as a concept and presentingpeople, songbooks, artists in a
(33:18):
totally new light.
If you love the Beatles, cometo our show.
We'll give you a totally newperspective on the songs that
you love.
So I think that's what we werereally trying to tackle in that
early stage of our artisticcareer.
Speaker 2 (33:30):
And then I think it went on to become a bit more
wider based.
So we might just take a littlebreak and when we come back I'd
love to explore what happensnext in the exciting life of
Naomi Price.
Speaker 1 (33:39):
Great.
Your exclusive pass to the mostcoveted designer fashion event
of the year is here.
Labels on the lawn, tickets arenow on sale, with thousands of
designer items for sale on theday at $200 or under.
Join us in supporting Women'sLegal Service Queensland as we
stand up against domesticviolence.
With your ticket, you're notonly attending a fashion
(34:01):
extravaganza, you're making astatement and remember, it's
first in best dressed, literally.
So grab your tickets now andsecure your spot early at the
event that everyone's talkingabout.
Don't miss out on the fashion,the fun and the chance to make a
difference.
Visit handworthhousecomau andhead to the what's On page or
follow the link in the episodedescription for tickets.
(34:23):
And, while you're there, makesure you've locked in your
tickets to my Big Fat Greekparty and our wine tasting and
trivia afternoon.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
So, Naomi, we've just been talking about how the
musical tributes based onidentity and individuals.
You kind of blossomed that intoother genres or concentrations.
Tell us a bit what came next.
Speaker 3 (34:45):
I think Adam and I realised that we needed to come
up with a better business modelthan me being in every show,
because certainly doing a42-venue tour of Lady Beetle,
you know, realising every singleday that if I wasn't well
enough to do the show, itwouldn't happen that really kind
of helped me start tounderstand the importance of
(35:08):
bringing more people into ourbrand and expanding the group
and creating a whole bunch ofstars out of these incredible
artists.
And we started that really withChristmas Actually, which is
the Music of Love Actually liveon stage, which we've been doing
every December since 2018 andthat features myself and three
(35:30):
other performers during some ofthe heavy lifting and that's
kind of then blossomed intoother shows that have kind of
bigger cast, have sort of fourlead performers.
There's something about musicwhich is the music of romantic
comedies, like those famous, youknow, notting Hill when Harry
Met Sally, bridget Jones' Diary,those iconic songs from those
(35:51):
films, your song, which tackledthe music of Elton John through
real life stories that peoplegave us about loving his music.
Sisters are doing it forthemselves, which is the music
of the Sister Act movies.
So we just started to kind ofgrow and expand our offering,
which allowed us to work with amuch more diverse group of
artists and to really kind ofgrow and develop as a company as
(36:14):
well.
I have loved sitting in thedirector's chair as opposed to
being the person on stage,because for me, I just love
theatre.
It's not just about a love ofperforming for me, although I do
enjoy performing.
I've just always loved going tosee shows and seeing things
that really move me or impact meor affect me.
(36:34):
So for me, I get just as muchjoy out of sitting in the chair,
watching everyone being amazingon stage and feeling that sense
of collaboration and joy andpride, as I do being the person
taking the applause on stage.
I think you get so muchsatisfaction out of it.
Speaker 2 (36:52):
So that whole turning on its head from being mentored
to mentoring as well.
You see that so often in whatyou're doing with the Lord
Mayor's Christmas carols, forinstance, which has been an
amazing journey for you.
Can you tell us a bit aboutthat and the way you've engaged
with the community and accessissues that you've obviously
engendered in?
Speaker 3 (37:11):
that as well.
We were very fortunate to getthe tender to produce the Lord
Mayor's Christmas carols forBrisbane City Council from 2021
to 2024.
This was coming straight outthe back of COVID, so we were
actually still in a situationwhere Queensland's borders were
shut when we first got thatcontract, and we also got it
(37:31):
mid-year.
We got it in June and the showwas on the 8th of December or
something, so we had six monthsto learn how to put together
this enormous production atBrisbane's River Stage, 7,000
people watching it andhistorically, the show hadn't
been broadcast on television forseveral years.
I don't know if it was becauseit was a COVID year.
(37:53):
I don't know if it was justeveryone having a feel good
moment.
Maybe it was the calibre of theartists and the team that we
brought to the project, but fromour very first year, the full
two-hour show was broadcast on 9.
And that's happened every yearsince, which we're so thrilled
about, because now it feels likeBrisbane has a carols that can
(38:14):
compete Not that it is acompetition, and if it was, we'd
probably win but we can reallykind of stand on that national
stage with the Sydney andMelbourne carols.
For me, watching carols everyyear is such a tradition it's a
family kind of staple in thecalendar at that time of year.
So we wanted to create a newkind of family tradition and
(38:34):
represent Queensland the bestway that we could.
So things that I'm super proudof.
We're the only carols in thecountry that opens with a
welcome to country.
We engage with local elders andFirst Nations communities to
produce that segment at the topof the show, which I think is so
unbelievably vital gathering onFirst Nations country that we
(38:55):
acknowledge that and we alsolean in and celebrate the
incredible richness and culturalbackground that we are
surrounded by every day.
So that's been really amazing.
We've been collaborating with adeaf performer, shannon
Kettleton, for the last threeyears to perform an entire song
in Auslan no singing, just her.
(39:16):
Everyone thought we were a bitbonkers when we first said this
is what we want to do, but it isone of the most impacting
moments of the whole show.
It's just one of my favouritemoments every year and that's
been incredible because I dobelieve that arts are for
everybody.
I don't believe they're justfor the privileged elite.
I think arts and creativepractice and engagement is for
(39:38):
every single person.
Think about the pandemic.
When the world closed down,everyone turned to TV, movies,
music, painting, reading.
So for me, making thataccessible to everyone is so
important, and I know that thereis a lot of people in the
disabled community that areoften excluded from being
involved in large-scale eventslike that.
(39:59):
We wanted to make sure thistruly was a carols for everybody
.
So last year we had a dedicatedAuslan area and we had 150
patrons in that area with theirfamilies, and seeing shots into
the crowd when Shannon wasperforming of young deaf
children, being able to engagewith what was happening on stage
, to be able to sign back withher, was just one of those
(40:22):
amazing moments I will neverforget.
So we're hoping to grow andbuild on that.
This year.
We've got some really excitingnew accessible features that
we'll announce.
I did a play earlier this yearfor Queen St Theta called
Drizzle Boy, which was about ayoung man with autism.
It was featuring aneurodivergent actor playing a
neurodivergent role written byan autistic playwright.
(40:42):
That really opened my eyes torealise that we can do so much
more for the neurodiversecommunity as well.
So we've got some really coolnew features there for anyone
who has sensory issues or anykind of sensitivity needs.
We want anyone to feel welcometo come along, and we're also
really connecting with blind andlow vision patrons.
(41:04):
This year as well, we'll beannouncing some really cool
things there as well.
So access is something that I'mreally passionate about.
I'm not sure if you can tell,but it's something I really want
to do more of, and I think weall have a responsibility to
make everything that we're doingaccessible and inclusive for
everyone who comes along.
So it's been a really excitingjourney from that point of view,
(41:25):
because I never really saw usplaying in that space.
We're a music company.
I thought, oh, it's for moreserious works or funded
organisations.
They can do that work.
But I realised actually accessis easy.
If you want to put the time andeffort into it, it's really
easy.
The community are super excitedto engage.
(41:45):
If you get access consultantsand you do the work and you do
the awareness training, youlearn so many amazing things.
We're working with anorganisation this year called
Hidden Disabilities Sunflowers,which is an organisation I'd
never heard of until probablytwo months ago, and basically,
if you have a hidden disability,you can wear a lanyard or a pin
(42:06):
that identifies yourself.
You can find people that work atthe event that have a pin as
well, and they're a safe personto go and approach and that just
means you don't have to have anawkward conversation of
explaining why you needsomething.
You can just go to that person.
Then they're a safe person,they're an ally that can help
you with directions or somethingyou might not be able to cope
with by yourself.
(42:26):
And I was like that's so simple.
Why have I never heard of thatand why isn't that just part of
our everyday life?
So I think we've been on a realkind of exciting access journey
since taking over the carolsand yeah, I'm really I'm excited
to do more and to integrate amore diverse offering of
(42:48):
performers and storytelling onstage every year.
It's great.
It's so awesome to have thiscreative playground that I get
to just dream and imagine andwork with all these amazing
people every year.
It's such a treat.
Speaker 2 (43:01):
And it's no wonder the carols is such a vibrant
plethora of music and theatricalmanoeuvres and accessibility, I
mean all of that you'veintegrated into that in such a
seamless way.
Speaker 3 (43:13):
It's such a joyous, it's such a joyous occasion, it
is joyous and Christmas shouldbe that time of year when we all
feel loved and I just wanteveryone to feel that same thing
that Christmas can be a reallyhard time of year for people.
It can be really difficult.
And if we can just give backjust for two hours every
December even though it's monthsof work, that goes into that
(43:34):
two hours Again it just goesback to.
You never know what impact youmight be having on someone's
life at that moment and who theyare and what they're going
through.
For a young deaf person to seea beautiful deaf woman on stage
performing in Auslan I don'tknow the impact and the
reverberation that that hasthroughout that community, but
(43:55):
for that young person that mightbe that moment when they
realize that's a path that theycould follow as well.
Speaker 2 (43:59):
Exactly.
Speaker 3 (44:00):
And I think that's that's what I've talked about
when I say it's.
It's an honor, it's a privilege.
I'm like we get to like doChristmas in Brisbane for two
hours and we get to like showoff all this incredible
musicianship and creativeathleticism on stage and we have
a professional dance lineup.
You know we have 18 elitedancers on stage.
(44:20):
There's just there's noopportunity like that at
Christmas anywhere else in thecountry.
We do it.
It's amazing.
Speaker 2 (44:27):
It's wild.
Speaker 1 (44:28):
We get to watch it on TV a day later, or two days
later, exactly, and really allover again, exactly.
Speaker 2 (44:33):
I love it, so congratulations on that.
And it's no wonder that theaccolades just today twice I saw
Naomi Price on my emails thismorning, once accoladed for a
finalist in the 40 under 40awards.
Speaker 3 (44:46):
Yes, that's right.
Yes, and it's the top 40 youngleaders and it's a global
organization, 40 under 40 and inQueensland and weekend edition
have just announced theirinaugural finalists for that
award.
So very exciting and nominatedalongside my best friend and
co-founder of Little Red, adamBruins.
Speaker 2 (45:08):
And under 40 as well.
Speaker 3 (45:09):
Oh, I know, I know, I mean that fresh face, he's 30
under 30.
And also Dave Sleswick, who Iwent to uni with, also nominated
, and Courtney Stewart from thetheater company.
So lots of friends beingacknowledged Well
congratulations and welldeserved.
Speaker 2 (45:25):
And also, just before you walked in the door, some
finalists in Australian women inmusic yes, Australian women in
music awards for live creativeproduction.
Speaker 3 (45:34):
This one I was so blown away by because I've been
nominated and won awards forperformance before, which is
amazing, but I've never beenacknowledged for producing.
It's so amazing, particularlyas a woman in the music industry
, to be recognized for thosethousands of hours that you
spend doing all the other stuffso that we can do that two hours
(45:56):
on stage over Christmas isreally cool.
So, yeah, it was very chuffed.
And the list of nominees thisyear for that, for those awards,
is incredible Jessica Malboy,tones and I, jim Casadale, sarah
McLeod Like it's justincredible.
Women and yeah, and lots ofwomen being recognized for their
work behind the scenes, onstage and off, which is
(46:17):
incredible.
So, yeah, I'm stoked.
Speaker 2 (46:20):
Well done, I mean, and, as I said, well deserved.
But I actually thought beforewe just leave the performance, I
should really even thoughpeople are probably tired of
talking about COVID, I justremember what you did during
COVID Like in terms of bringingperformance into our living
rooms, and how did you go duringthat time.
What was it like?
Speaker 3 (46:39):
Oh, it was a roller coaster.
Yeah, it was wild.
I remember when the governmentannounced venue closures on
March 18, I, hundreds ofthousands of dollars went like
that for us and that was our,you know, our next year of work.
All lined up, gone, and all ofmy friends and colleagues were
(47:01):
in the exact same position.
Shows were closing down.
That it was just unbelievablyuncertain times for the arts
industry, as it was for a lot ofindustries.
But we seem to not really getvery much help and support along
the way, still waiting for thatemergency arts package that was
announced.
It's never.
It's never arrived.
So, yeah, I think it was areally hard time, but I don't
(47:26):
know what possessed me.
Maybe just a little bit ofstupidity, maybe maybe the same
thing that maybe get on theplane at the age of 19 and just
come to Australia.
Because I just thought, why not?
Within 48 hours of the venuesclosing, we launched a show
called the isolate late show.
We broadcast every week for 90minutes, an incredible live
(47:49):
music and variety show.
We did 10 episodes, so 900minutes of entertainment, whilst
everyone was locked down intheir bedrooms and in hotels.
We somehow managed to motivate350 arts professionals from
across the country to make theshow with us and it was wild
Like talk about baptism of fireand you nothing about bringing
(48:11):
together a broadcast program,nothing about pivoting into the
digital world but we just kindof had to figure it out right.
We were creative people so Ithink we brought really creative
solutions Amazing team.
I mean, I still can't watch someof it back because it just
makes me cry from how proud Iwas of everybody and getting
(48:31):
emotional now.
But I think at one of thehardest times in my friends'
lives they just decided thatthey wanted to look out and not
inwards and that's probably, Ithink, one of the bravest things
I've ever seen a group ofpeople do was unbelievable and
there's no question that got methrough too.
It got so many of us through.
(48:53):
That first three months allowedus to actually exercise our
creative muscle at a time whenwe were kind of being told that
what we did for a living wasn'tessential and I needed it, we
all needed it.
I'm so glad it found itsaudience and that the audience
at home loved it and itconnected with everyone watching
.
I look back and think I'm sograteful for it on a personal
(49:15):
level.
God, we were tired, we workedaround the clock.
Speaker 2 (49:19):
Oh, I can imagine and it was just amazing what you
did.
But also I think we forget toask those questions anymore.
We tend to go gliding over thisCOVID era and go.
Everyone's lives have becomebusy again and I wanted to ask
because I just remember thatthat was such an incredible time
and what you did was just likenot going down when the going
was tough.
You just got going againbecause I guess doing something
(49:41):
was better than doing nothing atall, totally.
And we raised money too.
Speaker 3 (49:45):
We raised $115,000 for the Actors and Entertainers
Benevolent Fund, and I know fora lot of people who weren't
involved in the show but whowere in our industry, just the
fact that we were out thereadvocating and raising money was
enough.
That money wasn't used by thosepeople.
That was enough to knowsomebody was in their corner and
someone was talking about thethings that no one was talking
(50:05):
about on the news Exactly.
So yeah, it was.
It is easy to skim over thosetimes because in a lot of ways,
everyone's sick of talking aboutit.
Speaker 2 (50:14):
And it's easy to do now because there's a different
time at the moment.
Speaker 3 (50:18):
So I just I wanted to know that, but also it's like
pretending that a trauma hasn'thappened or grief hasn't
happened or loss hasn't happened, like we lost a good two years
of creativity, productivity, ofeconomy in our industry, and we
were still feeling that lastyear, we're still feeling this
year, we'll probably still befeeling that for several years
to come, and the graduates, thepeople that were meant to launch
(50:42):
into 2020, getting their firstbig gig, probably had to go into
other industries and we've losttwo years of these extremely
elite, talented, trainedathletes from our industry
because they couldn't emerge,they couldn't arrive.
So there's all of these extrathings that we're still chasing
and sorting out and workingthrough.
Speaker 2 (51:03):
But thanks for asking Because a lot of people don't
Thank you for what you did.
I think it was very valued bythose who loved the Isolate Lake
show.
It was a good time.
It was a good time.
Maybe you could do anotherproduction on the Isolate Lake
show in the future about howCOVID impacted and what you did.
There could be some reallyfabulous.
Speaker 3 (51:18):
True, you never know Totally, or we do.
The 10 year anniversary 2030.
Right before the Olympics.
Speaker 2 (51:24):
Maybe then we'll be prepared to talk about it again
Exactly.
I think Family is alsoimportant to you.
You've already talked aboutthat Life with Luke and being a
stepmom.
I mean, you know, tell us aboutthat.
Speaker 3 (51:35):
Life with Luke is amazing.
A lot of people ask.
The main thing people ask is dowe sing all the time at home?
The answer is yes, but it's notto each other, it's only to the
dog and it's only in a sillyvoice.
But yeah, our home is alwaysfilled with music.
There's always a record playingor somebody belting something
out in some corner of the house.
(51:55):
We just bought our first homeat the end of last year.
Speaker 1 (51:58):
Congratulations, thank you.
Speaker 3 (52:00):
Which you know, for us both being in the arts and
having suffered this kind of bigsetback in 2020, we were about
to buy our house in 2020.
So that was a big.
That was a tough pill toswallow Not not getting, not
getting that house.
And then, of course, nomortgage broker wanted to give
us money post pandemic either.
So it was, it was a big.
It was a big battle to getthere.
So when we got that house, itwas like oh, felt like I
(52:24):
immediately deleted the realestate apps off my phone.
I thought I can cut thatobsessive behavior out of my
life once and for all.
It was so lovely to finally go.
We did it.
When you've worked towardssomething and it's been a goal
for so many years to tick it offthe list is the relief.
It's like you finally switchedthe white noise on the
television switches off and yougo calm brain space.
(52:47):
Think of all the things I canachieve now that I'm not
obsessing over where we're goingto live.
So that was really amazing andso beautiful to have a home for
Luke and Olivia, my stepdaughter.
She just started high school atthe start of this year, so it's
so lovely to get in, getsettled before Christmas.
And my parents were here lastChristmas too for their first
ever Aussie Christmas.
(53:07):
So they got to stay with us inour first month in our home and
saw the carols, I think, andcame to the carols fresh off the
plane.
They battled jet lag and theywere still partying with us and
shepherd and swing on this onthe roof in a rooftop bar until
two o'clock in the morning afterthe carols.
They were amazing.
Speaker 2 (53:25):
There were such a dream.
And then you came up to Hamwardthe next day when we did the
post branch and we wereprivileged to be there and so
many other times.
Naomi, you've been so kind aword that I would certainly use
to categorise you and Luke andLittle Red.
We've had you here lots oftimes for some festival events
which we all we both love aswell, and I think we might be
(53:45):
seeing you at the festival thisyear as well.
Speaker 3 (53:48):
Yes, we're back.
We are back this year withthere's something about music
which is going to be at thePiazza, so we can't wait to come
back to Brisbane.
Speaker 2 (53:55):
We can't wait to have you.
But thank you, and I alwaysremember your absolute kindness
when we hosted a beautifulgoodbye party for our daughter
Isabella.
She was heading off to the USA,basically almost two years ago
now.
Two years, yeah well it is, andwe were having a party on the
day that the Queenslandgovernment declared that we
couldn't have a party.
So we told everybody to comebefore four o'clock, but,
unbeknownst to her, you and Lukehad planned to do a beautiful
(54:18):
impromptu performance.
That night.
Yes, we had, and I still wellwith tears when I think about
what you did instead, when youcontacted all her friends and
they were with their hairbrushessinging in the bathrooms and
you did a beautiful video tofarewell Isabella.
Speaker 3 (54:34):
New York Medley.
It was iconic, so beautiful,and I'll never forget your
kindness.
Speaker 2 (54:38):
That was one of the most valued things that's ever
happened in our life and wethank you so sincerely for that
my pleasure.
So I know we're kind of out oftime, but we have to ask you two
very pressing issues.
What do you want to be when yougrow up?
Speaker 3 (54:51):
I want to be the creative director of the
Olympics opening ceremony 2032.
And then, after I've done that,I want to be a vineyard owner
in Tasmania.
Oh yeah, I want the quiet life.
I want to crush some grapes andpour some bubbles and I just
want to be fabulous and havepeople, have people come to me.
(55:11):
I just I love Tassie and I lovewineries.
Yeah, very much a wineenthusiast, maybe sometimes my
detriment.
So, yeah, I think that reallyappeals to me, that life.
I'm sure there's almost nomoney in it, but who cares?
Speaker 2 (55:27):
Well, you will have already done the Olympics by
then.
That's right.
You could probably retireAbsolutely.
Speaker 3 (55:31):
I'll be retired and I'll be swimming in my coins
like Scrooge McDuck.
Speaker 2 (55:34):
Oh my goodness, I'm going to become your biggest
barricade for that, yes, I'll beon the reference list.
I'll be on the reference list.
Speaker 3 (55:39):
I just consider everything I do in my life in
audition for the Olympics.
I'm like every single day in mylife I'm just taking another
step forward towards that dream.
Speaker 2 (55:47):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (55:47):
Isn't that funny, all the athletes have got their
like gold medal dream.
That's my gold medal dream.
What is the gold medal?
You just got to speak it out,right?
It's just not me.
That's exactly what I loveabout it.
Speaker 2 (55:57):
I love it so much as well.
It's been fabulous and I'mgoing to be on the reference
list.
I'd be very intrigued to seeyour answer to the next question
which is when we always end on.
You're such a bubbly brightperson anyway.
What brings you happiness?
Speaker 3 (56:10):
What truly brings me happiness is a good belly laugh.
I think I like laughing almostas much as sex.
It's just so.
I just love really having agreat giggle with friends and
family and I think feeling thatmoment it's.
There's a magic moment in anygathering where you look around
(56:33):
the room and everything's justsparkling and you feel
completely yourself andcompletely accepted and
completely loved.
That, to me, is happiness.
It's that crystal clear momentwhere you think life can't get
any better than this.
Look at who's here, look at thejoy, look at how much love
(56:54):
there is in the room.
That's happiness.
If you have those moments inyour life, then you are a
wealthy person, because I thinkjoy is what brings us that
abundance in life.
So, yeah, that to me ishappiness, thank you.
Speaker 2 (57:07):
You radiate and exude warmth, entertainment,
happiness, and it's been such apleasure to have you on the show
today.
Speaker 3 (57:13):
Thank you for having me.
Speaker 2 (57:14):
Thank you, beautiful girl can't wait to see what you
do next.
Speaker 1 (57:16):
Thank you, marisa thank you for joining us on
Bubbles and Benevolence.
We hope you enjoyed our chatwith Naomi today and, as usual,
if you have any questions, youcan send them through to podcast
at handworthhousecomau.
That's H-A-N-W-O-R-T-H now ifyou want more from Naomi.
There's something about music.
(57:38):
The ultimate rumcom moviemixtape.
Live tickets are now on salethrough the brisbane festival
website.
This irresistible homage toromantic comedy soundtracks is
on for 10 days only in Septemberas part of the brisbane
festival, so don't miss yourchance and get tickets through
the brisbane festival website orthe link in the episode
(57:58):
description.
We'll see you there.
If you enjoyed our podcasttoday, please rate, review and
subscribe so you don't miss anyincredible interviews and
no-transcript.
(01:07:37):
You such an interesting storyand what an incredible adventure
(01:08:18):
around the world at such ayoung age.
As many of you know, or youshould know by now, marisa will
be once again dancing in dancingCEOs, this time alongside
loralie cunningham, in the 2024dancing CEOs all stars event
benefiting women's legal serviceQueensland and katelin has an
(01:08:39):
incredibly generous offer forthe first person to register a
my giving table event benefitinga dancing CEO for 2024.
If you are the first toregister, you will receive a
free bait to plate dinner cookedby katelin and kev in your own
home for up to 10 people.
(01:09:01):
So head to the my giving tablewebsite now or go through the
link in the episode descriptionto register your my giving table
party now.
As usual.
If you have any questions, youcan send them through to podcast
at handworthhousecomau.
That's h-a-n-w-o-r-t-h.
(01:09:21):
If you like today's episode,please rate, review and
subscribe so you never miss anepisode.
We will be back soon withanother special guest cheers.
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.