Warne a star turn in cabaret

Eddie Perfect - a perfect Warne? © Mark Partridge

Shane Warne is used to taking centre stage in Adelaide ... only this time he's on the other side of the River Torrens. And it's not actually him, either.

I'm at The Adelaide Cabaret Festival, a short walk from the Adelaide Oval, for the world premiere of Shane Warne: The Musical. Well, it's almost a musical - more accurately, it's a work in progress, and as such the performance is an actual workshop. If only Warne was afforded the same luxuries.

Still, it's enough to get a flavour of the full production that could be launching if tonight is a success.

But Warne... and cabaret... are they the right mix? The Melbourne-based comic Eddie Perfect, who has put the production together, and plays the star, certainly believes so. And, thinking about it, given Warne's life - stuffed, as it is, with theatrics, outrageousness and farce - perhaps by creating a cabaret Eddie has come up with the perfect fit.

Nevertheless, it seems odd that Perfect, a political comedian, has chosen to celebrate the life of this sports star. But he is interested in the concept of Australian masculinity and, well, Warne is simply more than the game. And it works - surprisingly well.

Perfect is convincing as a sympathetic and vulnerable Warne, who leaves the audience understanding that he didn't always surround himself with the best people. He also manages to make all Warne's mistakes and vices comical. And some of the songs will no doubt become classics, like "S-M-Mess", "I'm Coming Home", "110% Me", while Shane's mother rocks out to "Take the F**king Pill".

When Cricinfo asked Warne whether he was pleased there was a production about him, he said: "It depends on what sort of spin he wants to put on it, doesn't it? He can be factual, he can not be factual. He can exaggerate it. I haven't thought whether I like it or don't like it."

He wasn't invited to the premiere, although I suspect that if he did come he would be pleased with his own portrayal - even the more risque elements are treated with a warm humour. In fact, if anything, it's the portrayal of his supporting cast that may make Warne bristle and object. Simone isn't too bright and his mum is depicted trying to convince him to take the diet pills.

Did Perfect fill the boots of the magician? Most of this evening's crowd aren't actually so bothered. They are dedicated cabaret lovers, and not necessarily Warne fans, and the pre-performance chatter focuses on the rest of the Festival, not on Australia's next series.

The parents of Rosemarie Harris, who plays Simone Warne, are an exception. They love Warne and would have attended whether their daughter was playing Mrs Warne, or not. Rosemarie has only recently arrived back from New York where she was appearing in "Virgins". Quite a step up, then...

The production itself was billed as "Part personal history, part hallucination", but the chosen inference of the show was obviously to dramatise themes like success versus failure, overindulgence and the burdens of the Australian urban legend - not necessarily an ode to the great man himself.

The stage was lit in blue and soft gentlemanly tunes from the 50's echoed across the Playhouse. On stage was the band set up, a series of chairs for the cast and an isolated chair for the narrator, Warne.

The story went like this: One cold night in 2005, Warne passes out on the lawn of his East Brighton home after a late night out. His dreams cast him back, step by step, through his career.

From his time lounging about at home, striking out with the St Kilda A's in the footy, his time in the Cricket Academy under Terry Jenner, his debut, that ball, road-kill Cullinan, John the Bookie, the World Cup, the SMS troubles, his mother and those pills and then his comeback, only to return to the lawn where he is confronted by his wife, Simone, and the torment of separation. The show concludes with a re-enactment of his retirement speech, laced with Perfect's humorous vocals.

The crowd were unanimous in appreciating a very funny, sympathetic and well-executed show, although there is much to do for Perfect to realise his vision of a full-scale comedy. One man asked his wife: "Is it what you thought, dear?" She looked puzzled. "Oh no, I thought he'd be bowling". Like everyone else, they went in with mixed expectations. And like everyone else, they left pleasantly entertained.

As a cricketer Warne himself arrived at the wrong time, during the hangover of the alcoholic and taboo-free sporting culture of 1980s Australia. Should the show mature beyond the workshop phase - and it should - then Perfect will have finally answered the lasting question from Warne on his career: "I don't know who's writing my scripts but he's doing a good job".