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Buzz is still there at J By Jim Fagan
Playwright David Williamson with cast and production team of Sleeping Dogs a day after its world premieer at The J. (Ian Waldie)
“I get such a kick out of constructing something, seeing it come to life with good actors and then the big buzz of watching the audience react,” David Williamson AO told me at his home in Noosa when I interviewed him in 2017 on his 75th birthday. And, judging by the audience response to the world premiere of his latest play Sleeping Dogs at the J last Wednesday, had he been there the buzz would have been just as memorable for him as at any one of his 50-plus hit plays in his career as Australia’s lauded, and leading, international playwright. A clash of dates meant David missed the show. He had to be in Sydney at the Ensemble Theatre with wife Kristin for the opening of his rewrite of his iconic 1980s triumph, Emerald City. I’m told he and Kristin were at the J the next day, however, for the matinee and evening performances and were “delighted”. On Wednesday night the audience chuckled and laughed at his snappy oneliners and witty, incisive dialogue in this blackly funny and poignant story about the way the past has a habit of casting long shadows into the future. And they were just as enthusiastic and heartfelt with their applause, when the cast took their bows at the end of the one-act play, Continued page 28
River ‘dump’ woes Community concerns of upstream Noosa River becoming a ‘dumping ground’ for vessels have been raised as a consequence of the current rollout of stage five and October rollout of stage six of the Noosa River Management Plan by Maritime Safety Queensland (MSQ). Under stage five (that began 31 May) boats over five metres are prohibited from anchoring within 30 metres of the northern shoreline of the Noosa River (with an exemption for boats 5-7.5m
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to anchor in this area for up to two hours per day). Under stage six of the plan, scheduled to commence 1 October, vessels over five metres in length will be limited to anchoring only 28 days per year on the Noosa River system below Lake Cooroibah. Further stages of the plan will limit anchoring restrictions to 28 days per year for the entire Noosa River system and its tributaries and will soon be announced by MSQ.
In response to community concerns Noosa MP Sandy Bolton obtained reassurance from MSQ of its commitment to the full implementation of the Noosa River Management Plan across the entire river system as per the outcomes of the extensive community consultation over the past three to four years and endorsement by the Noosa River Stakeholder Advisory Committee in 2023. At the request of members of the Cootharaba Community Association (CCA) Ms Bolton facili-
tated a meeting also attended by senior MSQ representatives, including the head of MSQ, general manager Kell Dillon, to discuss concerns raised. “It was a very productive meeting where MSQ reiterated their commitment and took on board the issues raised on the 28 day rule and its potential unintended consequences to Lake Cooroibah and beyond by rolling out in stages,” Ms Bolton said. Continued page 2