The proud story of when the last ship sails. A musical based on the closure of a shipyard on Tyneside.
After receiving widespread critical acclaim and five-star reviews at its official opening in Newcastle, The Last Ship, featuring the music of Sting and led by an ensemble cast, including Richard Fleeshman, Charlie Hardwick, Joe McGann and Frances McNamee, docked at Leeds Grand Theatre last week.
We went to check it out…
What’s it about?
Set against an awe-inspiring set by Olivier-nominated 59 Productions and boasting a TONY-nominated original score and lyrics, including ‘Island of Souls’, ‘All This Time’ and ‘When We Dance’, The Last Ship depicts the collective defiance of a community facing the demise of the shipbuilding industry, alongside a poignant romantic tale of childhood sweethearts and the adults they become.
This heartfelt tale will resonate with Yorkshire audiences impacted by the pit closures and subsequent miners strikes in the 1980s, and the desperate measures individuals and communities took to keep their livelihood, dignity and passion alive.
Sting was born Gordon Matthew Sumner on 2 October, 1951 in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, the eldest of four children of Audrey (Cowell), a hairdresser, and Ernest Matthew Sumner, an engineer and milkman.
He grew up in the turmoil of the ship-building industry and wanted to become a musician very early having developed a love for the bass guitar. He played in jazz/rock bands, including The Last Exit and a Dixieland jazz group, and in 1977 he formed the rock trio The Police with Stewart Copeland and Andy Summers.
In 1984, he went on to record solo albums and has evolved in to one of the most prolific songwriters and musicians in the world. His latest album, 57th & 9th, was released in November, 2016 followed by the critically-acclaimed 57th & 9th World Tour which recently concluded having performed 115 concerts throughout North America, Asia, Latin America & Europe
Throughout his illustrious career, Sting has sold close to 100 million albums from his combined work with The Police and as a solo artist. He has also delved into acting, having appeared in over 15 films such as Quadrophenia (1979) and Bring on the Night (1984) and has published a memoir entitled Broken Music in 2003, which spent 13 weeks on The New York Times Best Sellers list. He has received honorary Doctorate of Music degrees from Northumbria University in October 1992, Berklee College of Music in May 1994 and from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne in 2006.
What’s coming up at Leeds Grand Theatre?
Tuesday 29th May to Saturday 2nd June
BEAUTIFUL – THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL
The Olivier and Tony Award-winning West End and Broadway musical is coming to Leeds!
Featuring countless classics, including ‘(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman’, ‘Up On The Roof’ and ‘The Locomotion’.
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Monday 4th to Saturday 9th June
THIS IS ELVIS
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF THE 68’ SPECIAL
This is Elvis recreates all the drama surrounding the King’s live TV special that led to him starring at the International Hotel in Vegas, seven years after last performing live.
Long live the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.
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Wed 13th June to Saturday 7th July
WICKED
Winner of over 100 international awards, WICKED tells the incredible untold story of an unlikely friendship between two young women who first meet as sorcery students. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfil their destinies as Glinda The Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.
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Monday 23rd to Saturday 28th July
THE CASE OF THE FRIGHTENED LADY
The Classic Thriller Company returns with a brand-new adaptation from the legendary ‘king of the detective thriller’, Edgar Wallace, the brains behind King Kong.
When Inspector Tanner is called to investigate a ruthless murder at Mark’s Priory, the grand ancestral home of the Lebanon family, he quickly discovers that nothing is quite as it seems.
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Tuesday 31st July to Saturday 4th August
SUMMER HOLIDAY
THE FEEL-GOOD MUSICAL OF THE YEAR
In 1963 Cliff Richard and The Shadows took off on a joyous jaunt across Europe in a double-decker bus, over 50 years later the hit-filled musical is now a toe-tapping stage show featuring all the original hits, including ‘Summer Holiday’, ‘Bachelor Boy’, ‘Living Doll’ and ‘The Young Ones’.
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Wednesday 15th August to Saturday 1st September
CALENDAR GIRLS THE MUSICAL
YORKSHIRE’S OWN MUSICAL IS COMING HOME
Award-winning production by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth
Based on the true story of Yorkshire’s own calendar girls, this brand-new production returns to where it all started – Leeds Grand Theatre.
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Monday 22nd to Saturday 27th October
THE COMEDY ABOUT A BANK ROBBERY
From the team behind The Play That Goes Wrong, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery is a fast-paced caper, guaranteed to deliver swag loads of laughter.
Think Ocean’s Eleven meets the Marx Brothers.
It’d be criminal to miss it.
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Tuesday 20th November to Saturday 1st December
JERSEY BOYS
Featuring hit after legendary hit, including ‘Oh What a Night’, ‘Bye Bye Baby’ and ‘Big Girls Don’t Cry’, Jersey Boys is the smash-hit musical telling the true-life story of Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons.
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Tuesday 18th December to Sunday 6th January
SHREK THE MUSICAL
BELIEVE ALL OGRE AGAIN!
Following the unprecedented success of the first UK and Ireland tour, Shrek The Musical returns to Leeds Grand Theatre just in time for Christmas 2018.
Based on the Oscar-winning DreamWorks Animation film, Shrek The Musical follows Shrek, Donkey, Princess Fiona, Lord Farquaad and a whole host of fairy tale misfits in an all-singing, all-dancing, must-see musical comedy.
Starring Steffan Harri (Shrek), Laura Main (Princess Fiona), Marcus Ayton (Donkey) and Samuel Holmes (Lord Farquaad)
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