3
0
By overwhelming demand, the wickedly funny singer, songwriter and satirist Denis Carnahan is making a triumphant return to the stage this summer with his hilarious one-man cult hit musical comedy show, Cricket The Musical.
Ahead of the show we caught up with Denis to talk about all things Cricket.
1. “Rising from the ashes of Bazball” is a cracking line – what inspired that headline, and how do you balance genuine cricket fandom with your razor-sharp satire?
With all the hoo-haa and hype around the Ashes and Bazball, it seemed the logical choice for a tour name. I first performed Cricket The Musical in 2019, under the heading “The Debut Season”. Since then I’ve had fun coming up with short, cricket cliche laden names for each season’s show/tour. The 2020 shows were “The T20 Season”, I did three shows in 2021 so it was “The 2021 Hatrick”. I played two cities in 2022 so, it was “2 for 22” etc etc.
As for fandom v satire, cricket is designed for heartbreak and despair. The satire is just my way of dealing with Australia losing to India, and the very real possibility of England winning the Ashes.
2. You’ve called this season ‘filled with controversy and pantomime.’ If cricket were a theatre production, who would play the heroes, the villains, and the comic relief this summer?
Despite having recently retired, English cricketer Stuart Broad would comfortably play the hero, the villain and be the comic relief. He remains a villain to Australian fans, and a hero to English fans. He’s just declared the current Australian squad to be the worst since 2010, and the English Squad to be the best since then. He’d be right at home twirling the handle of his moustache if he had one!
3. Cricket The Musical has been called “better than The Lion King”, from a 14-year-old no less! What’s it like knowing your biggest competition might be both Timon and Shane Warne’s ghost?
I’d be more concerned with Rafiki and Scar than Timon, but it was a high honour that a 14 year old ranked me above him! Shane Warne did feature in a couple of songs when I started the musical, but mainly for his commentary. Since he passed away, I’ve been too sad to have anything in the show about him, and Eddie Perfect’s musical about him covered it all so wonderfully anyway.
4. You’ve spent nearly two decades writing about moustaches, sandpaper, and sportsmanship scandals – what’s been your favourite controversy to turn into a song?
There have been so many, it’s tough to choose. While last year’s Indian shoulder charge and 2018’s Sandpapergate still loom large, the 2023 Ashes series in England had soooo much melodrama and intrigue. Commentators were repeatedly saying “you couldn’t script this stuff”. So why even try? I just sing about exactly what happened, and it writes itself! That whole series has been my favourite, but this season may top it yet!
5. Your show tours alongside the real cricket season. How much of the musical changes as the series unfolds: do you update it in real-time based on what happens on the field?
I’m constantly updating the show. There are a few original songs that I always play to hold the structure together and introduce the characters, but as new drama unfolds on and off the field, that is brought into the show. I’m expecting the last show on the tour in Sydney on Jan 10 (after the 5th Ashes Test), will be 30 or 40 percent different material from the opening show of the season in Perth on November 19, before the 1st Ashes test being played there.
6. You described the Big Bash as “burlesque.” If it really were, which cricketer would you cast as the lead dancer, and what would their stage name be?
Last season the lead dancer would have to have been Mitchell Owen. Going from being a kid on the hill at Bellerive Oval kitted out in Hobart Hurricanes gear, to being the match winning local hero scoring a record equalling century in a record breaking run chase to win their first title. Fairy tale stuff! Apparently his nickname is Temu Mitch Marsh, but I don’t know if that works any more.
Grace Harris would have to be the lead from the WBBL. Complaining her bat is broken then saying “stuff it, I’ll hit it anyway” and proceeding to hit a six, holding the broken handle aloft victoriously as the blade of the bat twirled away through the air. Glamorous Grace, the Bat Smashing Ace?
7. Your songs have been played across ABC, Fox Sports, and Triple M. What do you think makes sport such a perfect muse for musical comedy?
Anyone that follows any sport knows the madness it can bring out of seemingly sane people. I’ve felt that madness. I’m not alone in having stayed up all night then cried over wins and losses by people I’ve never met, who are playing what could easily be described as a silly, silly game with absurd, archaic, yet venerated rules, over 10,000 miles away. There is no better muse!
8. From the ‘Farce of the Wandering Bairstow’ to ‘Mitchell Johnson’s Moustache,’ your humour walks a fine line between cheeky and cutting. Have you ever had a player confront you about one of your parodies?
So far I haven’t had any negative reactions. Mitchell Johnson referred to my love song about his moustache in his speech after winning the Alan Border Medal, so I don’t think it upset him.
Whenever I’m writing, I always have in the back of my mind singing what I’m writing directly to the people/person involved. That tends to keep it respectful! I’ve played at a lot of sporting functions, often singing roast songs about the people that are there. I figure by the time a cricketer comes to my attention, they’ve stood in front of someone bowling 150kmh, won and lost hundreds of times, had 1000 on field sledges thrown at them, and had unpleasant things written about them in the press and social media. A little bit of musical comedy would be water off a duck’s back.
9. Cricket The Musical brings together songs, sketches, and caricatures – if you could immortalise one current cricketer as a cartoon character in your show, who would it be and why?
Another tough one! With all his quirks, mannerisms, unorthodoxy, OCD pads-box-bat tapping routines, and extravagant leaves, Steve Smith would make a fabulous cartoon character, but I think Travis Head would be the one. He’s such a throwback to a bygone age of sportsmanship, belligerence, aggression and off field social life. That moustache would be drawn like Yosemite Sam’s and put him just ahead of “Smudge” Smith.
10. After touring Australia this summer, what’s next? Are we likely to see Rugby: The Opera, Tennis: The Tragedy, or even Bazball: The Sequel?
I’ve been doing Rugby League The Musical as a season review show every year for almost a decade in Sydney, often venturing into regional NSW and Qld. There’s a lottttt of scope for a similar musical review for the AFL too. A while ago I was doing weekly political satire songs for Fairfax. The dream would be to meld them all together somehow. Although, taking Cricket The Musical to The UK, India or South Africa would be a lot of fun!
So prepare yourself to boo the villains and cheer the heroes as Cricket The Musical brings songs to life on stage, with videos, sketches and caricatures celebrating the many controversies of this summer’s matches. Tickets are now on sale available at cricketthemusical.com.au
CRICKET THE MUSICAL:
Perth – Nov 19, 20, Studio Underground, State Theatre
Brisbane – Dec 2, The Old Museum, Bowen Hills
Adelaide – Dec 14, Lion Arts Factory, CBD
Melbourne – Dec 27, 28, The Show Room, Arts Centre Melbourne
Sydney – Jan 3, 4, 9 & 10 – The Bridge Hotel, Rozelle
TICKETS: cricketthemusical.com.au
