The Last Ship
Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Playing until 3rd October 2026
Photo credit: Nienke de Groot
{PR Gifted ticket}
Conceived over 15 years ago and inspired by his experiences growing up in a Tyneside shipbuilding community, The Last Ship is undoubtedly a deeply personal project for Grammy-winning musician Sting. Having recently completed a global tour, the musical has now docked at Theatre Royal Drury Lane for its West End debut.
While Sting’s music and lyrics have remained largely unchanged throughout the musical’s production history, the book has undergone several revisions, with Barney Norris providing the latest iteration. Unfortunately, this merry-go-round of writers has resulted in a show with little narrative cohesion: characters are introduced with no context, separate storylines compete for attention with no meaningful crossover, and conflicts are tied up far too easily. Sting’s score comprises a mammoth 27 songs, and you get the sense that Norris was tasked with stringing them together via the book, rather than the score and book coming together as a harmonious whole.
Sting himself is a strong presence as no-nonsense foreman Jackie White, who leads his fellow workers in defying the local government trying to shut them down by building one last ship. As you’d expect, he sings his folk-tinged numbers with a familiar rasp that the gala night audience laps up. As an actor, his performance is subtle, which might be more effective in a smaller theatre – or in a more subdued production. At the other end of the spectrum is Gideon (Declan Bennett), a sailor who has returned to the shipyard after 17 years to deal with the aftermath of his father’s passing. His reunion with ex-lover Meg (Frances McNamee) and the daughter he never knew they had (Hannah Richardson) runs parallel to the industrial action, but takes up far too much time in the nearly three-hour-long show. Bennett has an exceptional voice, but his excessive romantic balladeering becomes grating, and I found myself begging for their overwrought plotline to wrap up by Act Two.
The women of The Last Ship are generally better written than the men. While several of the male characters are little more than flimsy caricatures – an especially jarring duo of a bookish boffin and a sloppy drunk immediately springs to mind – the women generally have more depth to them. As Jackie’s wife Peggy, Jackie Morrison channels equal parts vulnerability and strength, while McNamee and Richardson get to showcase their strong vocals in standout numbers ‘If You Ever See Me Talking To A Sailor’ and ‘All This Time’. It’s also the women who ultimately save the day in Act Two’s inexplicable yet somewhat rousing climax.
Then, of course, there’s Shaggy — but only for two nights of the two-week London run. Credited vaguely as The Wallsend Ferryman, it’s never made quite clear who exactly he is. Is he a ghost? An angel? Death personified, à la Paddington-as-the-grim-reaper? Who’s to say. But he is rather fun to watch, with a vocal ability that certainly transcends the likes of ‘It Wasn’t Me’. I’m more than happy to embrace an ambiguous character, but rather than adding to the story, his nearly constant lingering on stage soon becomes distracting. It feels like director Leo Warner didn’t quite know what to do with the character, instead directing Shaggy to walk on and amble about where he saw fit.
Visually, The Last Ship is quite astounding. 59 Studio’s striking video design blends seamlessly with the set and onstage movement, and this really shines during the larger ensemble numbers, such as opening number ‘Island of Souls’. The group numbers also showcase the best of Sting’s music and lyrics, especially those focused on the community’s camaraderie and pride, and I found myself craving more of these moments.
The Last Ship has a lot of great material, but it’s in dire need of editing. Yes, many of Sting’s songs sound excellent, but in the context of the show, too many fall flat amid the messy plotting and confusing messaging. There’s potential for a very good musical here, but in its current state, The Last Ship doesn’t quite stay afloat.
Creatives
Music and Lyrics: Sting
Director: Leo Warner
Book: Barney Norris
Direction, Set and Video Design: 59 Studio
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