'The Last Ship' - UK Tour

[kport]

First review from Newcastle:

Sting’s first theatre musical is based on his experiences of growing up a music-mad, working-class lad on the River Tyne - and, golly, his songs are good

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/event/a ... z5AlPVDJHK

https://www.thelastshipmusical.co.uk/

[Real Geordie]

Tried to get tickets for Newcastle - no chance, sold out ! Booked for another venue instead. It will be interesting to see how it is received outside of the north east region, and whether it sinks or sails. The interviews in these clips are peppered with references to Billy Elliot and the miners strike.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=piBgEDtdxK8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ThTdVoTUKg

[Real Geordie]

Primarily for the information of UK based musical event goers, a one off outdoor performance of The Last Ship (details of date etc. below) in May, in Newcastle. Rain and enthusiastic response guaranteed. Whether I manage to get tickets for this performance or not, I’m going for a long weekend just to be part of a celebration of my hometown. I suspect that this show will not resonate as much elsewhere within the UK, but it’s a must see for me.

Evening Chronicle review of The Last Ship - 4 out of 5 stars

“The cast of shipyard workers, and their families, are going about their business on stage as we take our seats. Above and behind them looms the industrial quayside setting - giant cranes, metal walkways - and, amid chatter, the first strains of music are struck up from an on-stage band. And so begins a journey - inspired by Sting’s childhood memories and his 1991 album The Soul Cages - back to the Wallsend shipyards. As far as an opener goes, it’s a pretty dramatic one. The musical, written by Sting in homage to his hometown, made its debut in New York in 2014 but this is a new - and apparently much altered - production which is having its premiere in Newcastle ahead of a UK tour.

And this story of the impact upon a community of a shipyard’s imminent closure is set to strike a similar chord elsewhere as it’s a journey of struggle, hope, love and undaunted human spirit as - in the face of overwhelming odds - the workers decide to complete building on the last, now-unwanted ship - because that is what they do. At just under three hours long, it’s also something of an epic voyage but thanks to Sting’s remarkable score and compelling performances from the ensemble cast there’s no let up in pace and it doesn't loosen its grip throughout. As you might expect, Sting’s music and lyrics prove the star of the show: mostly poetic, occasionally humorous; sometimes furious, they're beautifully lilting, raising and falling as they change the pace and ebbing and flowing like that background tide.

There are enough strong characters here to convey a credible sense of community but not so many that you lose track. Of the core group, Richard Fleeshman makes a memorable Gideon Fletcher, the sailor who returns to his home town just as it’s on the cusp of change. His voice - similar to Sting’s - is perfectly suited to the soulful songs and a stand-out moment for me was his take on “The Night the Pugilist Learned How to Dance” as Gideon's memories of his youthful romance are cleverly captured as they fade in and out with the help of a mesh screen. And his voice is matched by the soaring vocals of Frances McNamee who plays spirited Meg, the childhood sweetheart and one of a number of strong women - the cast is equally divided - in a tale where shipyard workers’ wives turn out to have just as vital a role to play as the men set up a picket line in the fight for their livelihood . Among them is local favourite Charlie Hardwick playing Peggy White, wife of the shipyard foreman Jackie (Joe McGann, of the Liverpool acting dynasty), who joins the female cast in flinging themselves into stomping songs and dance. Another local favourite, Joe Caffrey - who lost his voice earlier in the run, with Sting himself taking to the stage to help fill in - is now back in his rightful place as steward Billy Thompson who rallies the men as they take a stand.

The show's staging feels like it’s on an epic scale too with background projections helping to give a sense of size and space: creating the surrounds of the shipyard as welding sparks fly in one scene; an arching cathedral-like interior the next, or the sea spray of the mighty ocean with star-studded sky above - and at the very end - the hulking ship about to launch. The show is directed by Northern Stage’s artistic director Lorne Campbell and designed by Tony Award-winning 59 Productions, the team behind the video design for the 2012 London Olympic Games. Lighting adds further layers of atmosphere while colours are muted in this world of ships, engines and pistons and the overall sepia tones are suited to a journey back in time.

And that's very much what it is. It’s all there: echoes too of the picket lines of the Miners’ Strike before the shipyards' demise; the Thatcher-esque minister and the importance of cost above value or worth. Of course Tyneside has moved on at a gallop since those times and there will be many in the audience who won’t remember that grim time but for those of us who do, this is powerful, moving and deeply stirring stuff. And it’s a worthy tribute from Sting even if it does go a bit off on a tangent at the very end with a kind of catch-all, politically charged final scene - even mentioning the NHS - which I wasn't sure about and an attempt to draw parallels around the world: a Wallsend success story with a global reach - a bit like Sting himself. Wednesday night's audience gave the show a well-deserved standing ovation, which Sting came on stage to receive. It runs until April 7.”

LATEST

“Sting’s musical The Last Ship is to have a one-off outdoor performance on Newcastle Quayside this May. The mammoth event will see the entire cast of the show take to a specially-adapted stage at Spillers Wharf - joined by the superstar musician himself. And it’s expected to attract crowds of thousands. The surprise news of the performance, announced on Thursday evening, is set to generate huge excitement and spark demand for the 15,000 tickets which will go on sale on Tuesday. The Last Ship is currently gathering rave reviews at Northern Stage where its current sell-out premiere run is due to end on April 7 ahead of a much-anticipated UK tour. But now an available slot in the tour will bring it back north to Newcastle on the May 28 Bank Holiday in between tour date commitments in Cardiff and Dublin. The Quayside location will be a fitting one for the shipyard musical which was inspired by Sting’s memories of growing up in Wallsend.”

Link to above review including video of final bow (not the bow of the ship !)

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-o ... e-14443686

Link to open air performance

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-o ... e-14474175

View of Newcastle Quayside venue

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKp772T_Gvo


David

[Real Geordie]

First night in Birmingham, the most landlocked city in England. Not the place for ships on the face of it. Apparently since the show closed on Broadway the storyline has been significantly changed, with more emphasis on the political issues, rather than the love interest. The illegitimate son has become an illegitimate daughter, a major character has been written out, and the order and content of the songs has been altered. I understand that the set design is also completely new. Sounds like a complete reboot. His majesty Sting was in attendance in the same hospitality lounge I was in, but I decided on egalitarian grounds that if he asked for my autograph I would refuse. He somehow understood this and did not.

I have to say I loved this performance. My first impressions are these. Time will tell, but I get the impression that already there is a travelling fan base, moving from city to city, and with a number of non-UK fans flying in just to see the show. The songs are varied and, when the ensemble sings, truly uplifting. The set, designed by 59 Productions, raises the bar to a new height. The projections give a convincing 3D effect, and the sight of shipyard cranes silhouetted against slowly drifting dark clouds is atmospheric. Relating this to BETM, I can imagine the winter scene with a snow storm and clouds drifting past a bright moon, the streets of Easington in the background. It truly is a new experience, and I’m sure the future.

This is a show that wants, and needs, audience participation. It all starts in a fairly languid manner, with individuals one by one drifting onto stage and then making eye contact with members of the audience, engaging them in conversations, and generally breaking down the barrier between audience and performer. From there the next step is to get everyone clapping together. The performance ends - at least on this night - with everyone on their feet, joining audience and performers in a rousing celebration.

For those of you who found the Geordie accent in BETM a little difficult to understand, bad news. This is full on Geordie, and makes Billy sound like a BBC news announcer. There is one character, the shipyard drunkard, and who I did not understand a word he said.

So, the current tour ends in July. What then ? It will either disappear into obscurity or start a West End run. I think it could become a cult musical though maybe limited in numbers. I intend to see it at least a few times again, and I am now fairly certain that the open air performance in Newcastle will be spectacularly emotional.

Show Some Respect - this is a favourite footstomping number, sung by the whole cast with great passion - from 1:00:30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TbMY9lf58FA

Promo Video

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LnhIpjt7V64

Reviews

http://www.behindthearras.com/Reviewspr ... 04-18.html
http://www.thereviewshub.com/the-last-s ... irmingham/
https://timbouk1966.blogspot.co.uk/2018 ... uring.html
http://thebirminghampress.com/2018/04/r ... last-ship/

[kport]

Review and photos from the Express and Star:

https://www.expressandstar.com/entertai ... -pictures/

[Real Geordie]

I recently stumbled across this review, and although it was written a short while ago relating to a performance at the opening venue, I found the reviewer’s vitriol quite amusing and maybe worth sharing just in itself. The reviewer is clearly nauseated by Sting, whom he considers to be a hypocritical poseur, and would dearly have loved the opportunity to tear the production to artistic shreds. He however grudgingly comes to the view that “................ a lot of it, to be fair, is very, very good indeed …..”. The criticisms of the production he makes are reasonable, and I also think that one or two songs could have been dropped without losing anything. All in all I have enjoyed the four performances I have seen to date at Birmingham and Nottingham, and have two performances booked at Manchester/Salford. So far, every performance I have attended has received a standing ovation, and the closing rendition of The Last Ship by the full ensemble is very powerful, and in superb harmony.

https://oneapostrophe.wordpress.com/201 ... ern-stage/

[Real Geordie]

The Last Ship has finished its tour, and now heads off - where ? Following the débâcle of the one off open air performance in Newcastle (cancelled at short notice) a lot of people were left disappointed and out of pocket - travelling and hotel expenses, ticket handling fees etc. - not good publicity. I attended six performances in three theatres and personally enjoyed each one immensely. It was not until one of the last performances, last weekend, at The Lowry, Salford and seated in the circle, that I was able finally to fully appreciate the stunning set design. It had always seemed impressive, but on that last occasion and due to the large stage and particularly the angle of view, the three dimensional optical illusion worked as it was meant to. However, it can only work to absolute full effect if you are sitting in a certain location - which means that most of the audience experience a lesser experience. Points in favour - great lyrics; excellent cast all of whom are talented singers and actors; excellent set design. Points against - too many songs crammed in - ruthless editing needed ; I personally found the political content a bit simplistic and over the top ; although not a problem for me, the really strong Geordie accents were clearly a difficulty for many audience members, from overheard comments. I never attended a full house, and all venues were in the north or midlands. I suspect that alterations would be needed if this were to transfer to the West End or anywhere south. There is no doubt that the involvement of Sting attracted many of his fan base. There is a “teaser” on the official facebook page “......As we furl the final sail... a new wind blows... keep your eyes on the horizon.. “ If this vessel docks anywhere in the future it may well be on foreign shores.

Try some Manchester accents !

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9rhKPgldMD4

[CJ-Rochester]

The show has been announced to play in Toronto, Canada February 9 to March 24, 2019, and will feature Sting himself.

https://www.mirvish.com/subscriptions/s ... -last-ship