Christmas in Brisbane has its familiar markers. The lighting of the King George Square Christmas Tree, the unbearable humidity, and more NSW number plates driving up the Gold Coast Highway. And every year, without fail, The Little Red Co rolls out Christmas Actually, this year, at the Brisbane Powerhouse.
At this point, it is as much a tradition as fresh prawns and a glazed ham. This is the show’s eighth year, and somehow it still feels just as warm and charming as the first time I saw it. This was my fifth visit, and it has not lost an inch of its magic.
Part of that comes down to its cast. Three of them are, to my understanding, originals from the very first season. Naomi Price, Luke Kennedy and Tom Oliver are joined again by Irena Lysiuk, who has essentially become part of the show’s DNA over the years.
There is a real comfort in seeing them back together. Like old friends slipping into something they know inside out, the chemistry between them is absolutely effortless.
For anyone who has never seen it, Christmas Actually is exactly what the name suggests. It is all the music from the film Love Actually performed by an all-star cast of Australian favourites.
The soundtrack swings wildly from the Sugababes to Dido to Kelly Clarkson, and somehow this team makes each shift in style feel completely natural. It is a jukebox of early 2000s nostalgia wrapped in a Christmas bow and blasted into the crowd with absolute joy.
Naomi Price, as always, is the glue. She steps out as host and unofficial conductor of the chaos and immediately has the room in her hands. Her vocals are outrageous, although that is hardly a surprise anymore. What really makes her performances land is her ability to thread in comedy with zero effort. It never feels scripted, even though we all know there is a tight engine running underneath. She steers the party the way only she can.
She also brings out the famous flash card scene each year, and her updated cards are some of the biggest laughs in the show. This year, she worked in everything from Katy Perry’s very short adventure into space to that chaotic Kiss Cam incident that blew up online. It is the perfect Christmas cocktail of tongue-in-cheek nostalgia and very current silliness.
Tom Oliver is just… Tom Oliver. His White Christmas is one of those moments you know is coming, and you still settle in for it. He keeps the heart of the song the same, but he always shapes it just enough to feel like his. Nothing flashy. Nothing trying too hard. Just a little twist here and there that gives it that Tom flavour. It is warm, it is easy, and it works every single time.
And then he comes back later as the lobster. The first lobster. The one everyone quotes from the movie. The second that costume appears, the room cracks up. It is silly, and it knows it is silly, and Tom leans right into that. At this point, it is basically the show’s secret encore. No one pretends otherwise. It gets the same reaction every year, and honestly, that is half the fun.
Luke Kennedy continues to be one of the smoothest men alive. There is a section every year where he recreates the British Prime Minister’s dance down the stairs from the movie. Even though I have seen it so many times, I still smile from ear to ear each year. He commits to it with full sincerity, which is what makes it work.
Luke is also one of those singers who can do pretty much anything. He slides between pop, acoustic and big belting moments with ease. The show would feel unfinished without him.
Irena Lysiuk is a whole thing on her own. Every time she opens her mouth, Pure gold leaks out. Her voice is so clean and controlled that you almost miss how hard what she’s doing actually is. She does not hide behind riffs or big gestures. She just sings, and it hits straight away.
In a show that jumps between comedy and chaos, she’s the one who can pull everything into focus for a minute. Any time she takes on the more emotional numbers, you can feel the audience lean in a little closer.
One of the biggest highlights this year is the Christmas Carol remix toward the end of the show, which I feel was the longest one yet! The four of them rotate through impersonations of famous Australian and international singers, including Marina Prior, Human Nature and The Veronicas. It’s chaotic in the best way. The kind of silly, festive nonsense that reminds you why this show works so well.
What continues to surprise me is how fresh the show feels year after year, without hesitation. The structure stays familiar, but the personality of it shifts just enough to keep it fun.
Little Red Co have built something that people return to because it captures the parts of the season that actually matter. Not the commercial noise. Not the forced cheer. The bit where you sit in a room with strangers and let yourself enjoy something without thinking too hard about it.
Christmas Actually still delivers that. Big voices. Good jokes. A few heartfelt moments. A cast that genuinely enjoys performing together. And a final lobster cameo that sends everyone out into the warm Brisbane night with a grin. Eight years in, the show still feels like a neatly wrapped little Christmas gift.
Christmas Actually runs to 14 December at the Brisbane Powerhouse. 119 Lamington Street New Farm Qld 4006.
It then tours South East Queensland, see dates below.
Tickets: https://brisbanepowerhouse.org/events/christmas-actually/
Website: https://www.christmasactually.com/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/thelittleredco/
Photo credits: Cassidy Cloupet
Christmas Actually Tour Dates:
Caloundra 12 December, The Events Centre
Logan 13 December, Entertainment Centre
Gold Coast 19 December, HOTA (Home of the Arts)
Cleveland 20 December, Redland Performing Arts Centre
Naomi Price performs in Brisbane. Libby O’Donovan performs in all remaining cities.
