Embedded Files
Never in my life did I imagine I’d find myself sitting in London’s West End watching a musical starring music legend Sting — yet that’s exactly where I was last night.
With a book by Barney Norris and music and lyrics by Sting, The Last Ship has sailed into Theatre Royal Drury Lane for a limited run following an international tour. But would this production leave me sailing smoothly, or sinking without a trace?
Set in Wallsend, The Last Ship tells the story of a community facing the devastating closure of its shipyard — the beating heart of the town and the livelihood of thousands. As the threat of closure looms, old wounds and long-buried memories resurface, forcing the community to confront its past before it can begin to look towards the future.
The set, designed by Jenny Melville, immediately evokes the atmosphere of a working town dockyard, with copious amounts of scaffolding supporting the enormous ship’s bow at the centre of the stage — something of genius from 59 Studio and Matt Taylor. Simple additions transform the space into a local bar and home, while large gates frame the entrance to the dockyard. Although it’s been many years since I last saw a real dockyard, there was something unmistakably British about the design that made the setting feel instantly familiar.
There is also an enormous amount of work behind the scenes that has gone into bringing The Last Ship to the stage. What began as Sting’s deeply personal memories of growing up alongside the shipyards of Wallsend has evolved over many years into a fully realised piece of musical theatre, with an extensive body of music shaped specifically for the production. That sense of scale is reflected on stage, from the towering shipyard set and intricate scaffolding to the choreography, ensemble work and countless details that help recreate a community built around an industry on the brink of disappearing. It’s a production that clearly hasn’t arrived in the West End overnight, and the years of development behind it are evident in the ambition and sheer scale of what unfolds on stage.
Although my main criticisms lie within parts of the story. While I understood the very real threat the shipyard’s closure posed to the livelihoods of the townspeople, I found it difficult to empathise with Gideon’s personal story when my primary concern was the fate of the dockyard and the community depending on it. Gideon, portrayed by Declan Bennett, is a likeable character with plenty of unfinished business, but I felt the love triangle between him, Meg and Freddie was somewhat distracting from the much stronger story unfolding around the shipyard and its community.
I think part of my difficulty with the story came from the expectation I formed early on that The Last Ship was primarily Jackie White’s story. With Sting’s presence so central to the production, I found myself naturally looking to Jackie as the emotional anchor, and as a result, some of the other characters’ stories initially felt secondary to the fate of the shipyard itself. By the end, however, I realised that each of these stories had its own importance and that the musical was really about a whole community, rather than one individual. Had that been clearer to me earlier in the production, I think I might have connected more deeply with some of the characters and felt more emotionally invested in their individual journeys as they unfolded.
I felt that some of the smaller storylines were used to fill the show’s hefty two-and-a-half-hour running time, when in reality, the production may have been more effective with a tighter runtime. It wasn’t until the final 20 minutes or so that I truly felt the urgency and emotional weight of the community’s desire to complete the dockyard’s “last ship”. A shorter, more focused production could have built that sense of urgency much earlier, making the central story feel far more compelling throughout.
Act Two was considerably stronger than the first, with some of my favourite performances coming as the story gathered momentum and moved towards its climax. It was here that the emotional stakes finally began to feel heightened, and the production really found its stride.
That’s not to say the cast weren’t phenomenal, because they absolutely were. I suspect the entire theatre was waiting with bated breath for Sting’s arrival, although fortunately, we didn’t have to wait long. He opened the show with Island of Souls, immediately commanding the stage as the ailing Jackie White. It was clear from the way other characters looked to him during Wallsend’s darkest moments that Jackie was a deeply respected figure within the community, giving Sting’s presence a real sense of weight.
Another much-anticipated arrival was singer Shaggy, who was reprising his role for just two performances. His character, the Wallsend Ferryman, had something of a ghostly presence throughout the production. With minimal interaction with the other characters beyond the occasional subtle acknowledgement, I found myself somewhat confused about his purpose within the story. That said, it was still a real pleasure to see Shaggy take to the stage and hear those unmistakable vocals live.
Frances McNamee and Jackie Morrison were fantastic as Meg and Peggy respectively, with McNamee delivering some truly impressive vocals. Morrison particularly shone in the final scenes, as Peggy grappled with grief while remaining fiercely passionate about the cause. Having previously seen Hannah Richardson in Jesus Christ Superstar, I was excited to see her take to the stage once again, and I certainly wasn’t disappointed. She was particularly outstanding vocally in the second act, leaving me wishing we had seen even more of her character throughout the production.
With music and lyrics by Sting, expectations were naturally high for the show’s score. Familiar songs such as Island of Souls, All This Time and When We Dance are woven seamlessly alongside the original songs written specifically for the production. The result is a delightful blend of folk-inspired songs and heartfelt ballads that feels both unmistakably Sting and perfectly suited to the story. The most memorable numbers for me were The Last Ship, which returned through several reprises throughout the production, and All This Time, which provided a standout moment for Richardson and showcased her sensational vocals.
Overall, despite my criticisms, The Last Ship is an enjoyable show and quite the spectacle on stage. I do feel, however, that the production would benefit from some tightening in certain areas, while others could be fleshed out further. I particularly admired the central storyline and its exploration of the impact that government decisions can have on a community and the people within it.
At the beginning of the show, I briefly wondered whether I had walked into an opera, with two songs coming in such quick succession. Had the production continued in that vein, I think it may have been more challenging to hold my attention, but the shorter stretches of dialogue helped to break up the musical numbers and maintain a good balance throughout.
Nevertheless, this is a production I’m glad I had the opportunity to see. There is plenty to enjoy, from the impressive performances and spectacular staging to Sting’s unmistakable presence on the West End stage. It’s not every day that you get the chance to see a music legend in a leading theatrical role, and with such a limited run, The Last Ship is certainly an experience worth catching while you can.
After all, when Sting sails into the West End, it’s worth climbing aboard.
⭐⭐⭐
The Last Ship plays at The Theatre Royal Drury Lane for just two weeks, book at:
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