Sting to star in limited run of his musical 'The Last Ship' in the West End

Featuring a new book by Barney Norris, The Last Ship is inspired by Sting's 1991 album The Soul Cages and draws on his childhood in the British shipbuilding town of Wallsend.

Grammy Award-winning artist Sting will star in a newly reimagined production of his musical, The Last Ship, for a limited West End run. Performances will play at Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 22 September to 3 October.

Featuring a new book by Barney Norris, The Last Ship is inspired by Sting's 1991 album The Soul Cages and draws on his childhood in the British shipbuilding town of Wallsend. The musical tells the story of a community of shipbuilders in the North East of England, who have to face the closure of their shipyard.

Sting stars as Jackie White, the shipyard’s foreman whose leadership is required just as his health is failing.

Sting said: "I grew up in the shadow of the shipyard. I’d watch thousands of men walk to work each morning, but I dreamed of something else… I dreamed of escaping, and I did everything in my power to get away from that life. But the farther I got, the more I realised I needed to understand where I came from and felt I had to give something back. The Last Ship is my tribute to the people and the place that shaped me.”

The creative team includes director Leo Warner, with set and props Designer Jenny Melville, costume designer Loren Elstein, lighting designer Adam Bassett, sound designer Tom Gibbons, animation director Matt Taylor, choreographer Rebecca Howell, video designer Benjamin Pearcy, and musical supervisor and orchestrator Rob Mathes.

The Last Ship has toured across the globe, with runs in Amsterdam, Brisbane, and Paris. There are further dates at the Metropolitan Opera in New York this June, followed by a return to Amsterdam in the autumn.

Further casting is to be announced.

Book The Last Ship tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk

Photo credit: The Last Ship. (Photo by Mark Senior)