Sting's debut musical THE LAST SHIP is coming home, opening in his native Newcastle in March ahead of a UK tour with Jimmy Nail reprising his Broadway starring role. But will it come to London? And which other #StageFaves will star this side of the pond?
Sting’s debut musical The Last Ship will get its UK premiere in the new year, coming “home” to Newcastle in Tyne and Wear, where the story is set. It opens at Northern Stage in Newcastle, running there from 12 March to 7 April 2018, before touring to 11 further UK cities.
Sting’s personal, political and passionate musical comes home to Newcastle, in an epic tale of community, hope and a great act of collective defiance.
The Last Ship tells the story of a ship-building town and its people. Gideon Fletcher, a sailor, returns home from half-a-lifetime at sea to discover the ship-building life he left behind in chaos. The yard is closing and no one knows what will come next. With the engine fired and pistons in motion, picket lines are drawn as foreman Jackie White (played by Jimmy Nail) and his wife Peggy fight to hold their community together in the face of the gathering storm.
It’s a strange kind of beauty, it’s cold and austere, And whatever it was that you’ve done to be here, It’s the sum of your hopes, your despairs and your fears when the Last Ship sails.
Jimmy Nail, Sting and director Lorne Campbell in Newcastle
The Last Ship was first seen in Chicago in summer 2014 before receiving its Broadway premiere in 2015. Jimmy Nail, who starred on Broadway, reprises his role as Jackie White in this new production, helmed by Northern Stage artistic director Lorne Campbell.
Further casting for the UK has yet to be announced. The Broadway cast also included fellow Brits Rachel Tucker and Sally Ann Triplett.
The Last Ship has music and lyrics by Sting and a book by John Logan and Brian Yorkey. The Northern Stage production is presented in association with Karl Sydow and Kathryn Schenker.
Following Newcastle, The Last Ship will visit Liverpool, Birmingham, Northampton, Leeds, Nottingham, Cardiff, Dublin, Edinburgh, Glasgow, York and Salford, where the first tour leg concludes on 7 July 2018.
