Following a sell out season at Northern Stage in Newcastle, Sting’s critically acclaimed musical The Last Ship is to tour the UK.
The Last Ship, which was initially inspired by Sting’s 1991 album The Soul Cages and his own childhood experiences, tells the story of a community amid the demise of the shipbuilding industry in Tyne and Wear, with the closure of the Swan Hunter shipyard.
When a sailor named Gideon Fletcher returns home after seventeen years at sea, tensions between past and future flare in both his family and his town. The local shipyard, around which the community has always revolved, is closing and no-one knows what will come next, only that a half-built ship towers over the terraces. With the engine fired and pistons in motion, picket lines are drawn as foreman Jackie White and his wife Peggy fight to hold their community together in the face of the gathering storm.
This personal, political and passionate new musical from multiple Grammy Award winner Sting, is an epic account of a family, a community and a great act of defiance. The Last Ship features an original score with music and lyrics by Sting as well as a few of his best-loved songs; Island of Souls, All This Time and When We Dance. It is the proud story of when the last ship sails.
The cast includes Joe McGann (Jackie White), Charlie Hardwick (Peggy White), Richard Fleeshman (Gideon Fletcher) and Frances McNamee (Meg Dawson) and is competed by Michael Blair (Yard Worker), Joe Caffrey (Billy Thompson), Matt Corner (Young Gideon & Yard Worker), Susan Fay (On Stage Swing) Marvin Ford (Ferryman & Yard Worker), Orla Gormley (Cathleen & Yard Worker), Annie Grace (Mrs Dees), Sean Kearns (Freddy Newland & Old Joe), Katie Moore (Ellen Dawson), Charlie Richmond (Adrian Sanderson), Parisa Shahmir (Young Meg), Kevin Wathen (Davey Harrison), James William-Pattison (Yard Worker/On Stage Swing) and Penelope Woodman (Baroness Tynedale).
THE LAST SHIP UK TOUR
16 – 21 April 2018
New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham
24 – 28 April 2018
Royal and Derngate Northampton
30 April – 5 May 2018
Leeds Grand Theatre
8 – 12 May 2018
Nottingham Playhouse
14 – 19 May 2018
Wales Millenium Centre
4 – 9 June 2018
Bord Gais Energy Theatre, Dublin
12 – 16 June 2018
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh
18 – 23 June 2018
Theatre Royal Glasgow
25 – 30 June 2018
York Theatre Royal
3 – 7 July 2018
The Lowry Salford
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