The Last Ship – Theatre Royal Drury Lane ★★★★★

By The Recs JDH 7 hours ago

Sting’s political and folk-informed musical masterpiece ‘The Last Ship’ sails into to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane

The Theatre Royal Drury Lane has seen many fine musicals in its time, but few as spectacular as Sting‘s reinvention of his 2013 concept album and original 2014 theatrical outing, The Last Ship. Award-winning theatre and film producer Karl Sydow has been involved in previous versions of this show and has managed to wrangle a top-performing and creative team for this international touring company this year.
 
However, multi-award-winning musician and actor Sting’s creative powers are front and centre of this industrial show. Not only did he write its songs, but he also takes on the major role of Jackie White, the shipyard’s foreman and de facto leader. His first iteration of the musical was inspired by love, loss, and the social and economic upheavals experienced in his hometown of Wallsend, near Newcastle, during the 1980s, some of which he had previously explored during his 1990 album ‘The Soul Cages’.
 
This touring international version has now been tightened and updated with a new book by Barney Norris (based on the ones that came before), allowing elements of improvement and reinvention to occur. But can we expect a greater understanding of the impact on workers’ livelihoods, threatened because of Thatcherism and globalisation, from this made-over global production?
 
Well, its powerful lyrics, layered storylines, soul-filled music, brilliant production design and terrific ensemble performances draw on every human emotion you can think of during this nearly three hours of theatre.
Images by Nienke de Groot
As the show commences, our ears are assaulted with the cacophony of sounds of the shipyard workers building its last and latest ship, The Utopia. Hidden almost in the wings are the orchestra and the musical director, Richard John, on keyboards. The stage looks enormous with the clever use of a stunning video backdrop of the massive hull of a ship that appears three-dimensional. A huge gantry containing shipbuilding welders rises across the entire rear stage. There is so much for the eye to take in: oil drums and gas cylinders, busy workers, sparks flying, and moving platforms that elevate and rotate.
 
Then the noise segues into something more melodic, and there is Sting in his blue boiler suit, flanked by singing shipbuilders, raised up on the floating platform, proudly singing in his distinctive voice about the shipyard and introducing the men who have spent their lives working in it. Through Sting’s compositions and his character’s inspirational speeches, we get a real sense of the meaning of their work to the men and their families. Each worker has a backstory: shop steward Billy Thompson’s dream of a proletarian revolution, Adrian sees meaning in poetry, and Davey uses alcohol to cope. Jackie’s wife, Peggy, works in the infirmary and sees what the hard work and exposure to chemicals have done to the men. Thrown into the mix is the politician, Baroness Tynesdale, who wants to privatise the business and Freddy, who wants to buy it back.
 
Meanwhile, there is the story of Gideon, who ran away from a difficult relationship with his father to a career in the Royal Marines and returns to find a new life waiting for him. One that involves his first love, Meg, and her daughter Ellen. Then there is the mysterious character of the Wallsend Ferryman, who seems to be the metaphor for change and crossing over. This production certainly has an operatically large cast and chorus to deliver its potent and poignant message.
Sting plays the central character with a noble heart and steely sensitivity. Jackie’s devotion to his work, his colleagues and his wife is clear to see. His special voice is full and strong, and Sting brings all his star quality to the stage. This particular performance also gave the audience the chance to experience reggae star Shaggy‘s acting abilities, as he agreed to play the Wallsend Ferryman for just two shows (the remainder of the run will see Lejaun Sheppard step into his shoes). His distinctive tones work well for the metaphorical mystery man, who haunts the stage and offers wise counsel. Frances McNamee has many theatrical credits to her name, but as Meg, her voice is a revelation. She delivers her big songs in her rich mezzo tones and shows her character’s vulnerability and hurt in one moment and then her pride and resilience in the next. Singer Hannah Richardson, known for her recent role as Mary in Jesus Christ Superstar, has performed in previous versions of the show and reprises the role of Ellen. She has a naturally expressive face and manages to convey the confusion and wilfulness of a 16-year-old who wants more out of life than Wallsend can give her. She’s also got a cracking voice. Singer-songwriter and previous member of the band Point Break, Declan Bennett, plays drifting Gideon. Also known for his acting in the BBC’s EastEnders, Bennett brings to his role an easily lovable bad-boy touch. He also displays a splendid singing voice, similar in sound to some of Sting’s earlier works. 
Scottish actor Jackie Morrison is a seasoned performer, this time keeping her native accent for her characterisation of Peggy White. She plays Peggy strong, fiercely supportive and with a powerful voice. Royal Academy of Music alumna Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong, dressed suitably in Conservative blue, steps up as Baroness Tynesdale, giving a fittingly maleficent realisation of the scheming Government minister. Matt Beveridge offers us his frustrated and love-lorn Freddy Newlands, desperately keen to save the business his father built and saw nationalised, but even more sorrowful as he sings ‘I Love Her, But She Loves Someone Else’. Wallsend-born Joe Caffrey plays Billy Thompson, the union man, with appropriate passion and conviction, whilst musical theatre stalwart and Geordie actor Adam Strong is a confused and touching Davey. The main cast is completed by actor, singer and panto favourite Duane Gooden as head-in-the-clouds Adrian.
 
Director Leo Warner has an expansive background in integrating theatrical, audio and visual performances, having founded and taken on the lead role at 59 Studio Productions. His production company also provides the set and video design as well as its direction and has worked on other Karl Sydow productions, including the previous version of The Last Ship. Warner has used his team to completely redesign the show, turning the audience experience into something amazing. The show has a very ambitious and vibrant set conceived by set and props designer Jenny Melville, married with the use of impressive video trompe l’oeil courtesy of video designer Benjamin Percy. Animation director Matt Taylor has taken the drawings of Jarek Radecki and Edd Stockton and flooded the rear of the stage with them. Towering above the action, the scaffolding and girders are impressive, and Adam Bassett‘s lighting brings a dark and brooding quality to the stage. The physical pieces of the set seem to morph into the video at the rear, making the stage seem even bigger than it really is. Warner and his team show us how video and light can effectively be used to transport us from the depths of a shipyard, into the streets of terraced houses and then into the sanctuary of a church. This is all beautifully complemented by the sound designers Tom Gibbons and Joel Price and the musicianship of the players on the stage.
This impassioned and moving production brings laughter and tears. Sting’s music resonates with the audience, and his lyrics still have relevance in today’s rapidly changing world. The powerful individual and rousing choral numbers elevate this show from what could have been ordinary. The set is majestic, and the ending is soaring and satisfying. If you love Sting and his music, The Last Ship is definitely the show to see.
No lifebuoys required; this magnificent Last Ship is still riding high on the waves.

★★★★★ 5 stars

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The Last Ship plays at the Theatre Royal drury Lane until 3 Oct 2026

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