Madonna’s tour trouble

She must be a night owl.

Kicking off her first Australian shows in 23 years in Melbourne, Madonna, 57, lived up to her reputation as a diva, arriving four hours late in the wee hours of March 11 for “Tears of a Clown,” a special invite-only, intimate club show she had arranged as a special thank-you to local fans for their patience.

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It was a surreal night in both content and form, a first-ever from the singer mounted at a time when she is openly grieving for her 15-year-old son Rocco, 15, who has refused to return to her amid an ongoing custody stoush with ex-husband Guy Ritchie.

The singer openly drank onstage—claiming it was something “I haven’t done before”—and speaking about her heartbreak. “I miss my son so much,” she told the crowd.

Madonna in Melbourne. Photo: Instagram.com/silva_starz

A night later at nearby Rod Laver Arena, Madonna engaged in wacky antics and shared a swig from a hip flask with front-row punter and long-time friend Molly Meldrum.

Her off-kilter banter led to next-day reports she had a “boozy meltdown” on stage, though Madonna denied the accusations. “As she pointedly asked the Forum crowd, “You think I could get through my big show drunk? Hell, no!”

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