Sting, the 74-year-old former frontman of the Police, is starring in a renewed version of his musical The Last Ship at the Queensland Performing Arts Centre in Brisbane. The show, which also features reggae icon Shaggy, runs at the new Glasshouse Theatre as part of an international tour that includes Paris, Amsterdam and New York.
The musical is set in the Wallsend shipyard of Sting's childhood, where he grew up in the shadow of the Swan Hunter factory. Sting plays foreman Jackie White, who faces the closure of the shipyard while grappling with his own failing health. Shaggy portrays the Wallsend Ferryman, a character who watches over Jackie. The production features a striking industrial set by projection design company 59 Studio, blending digital projections with physical scenery.
Sting wrote the music and lyrics, drawing on his 1991 album The Soul Cages and his family's ties to shipbuilding. The score includes folk, ballads and choral numbers, with songs such as Island of Souls, All This Time and When We Dance. While Sting's performance is understated and his voice lacks the power of his younger years, Shaggy brings warmth and stretches outside his reggae roots. The cast is led by Lauren Samuels as Meg Dawson and Declan Bennett as Gideon Fletcher, with Joe Caffrey as union leader Billy Thompson.
The Last Ship was first developed in 2011 and premiered in 2014 to mixed reviews. This version includes new scenes, music and updated characters. The show starts slowly but gains momentum in the second act, though critics note the ending feels rushed and the narrative could be tighter. The central love story between Meg and Gideon has been criticised as unconvincing, with Gideon disappearing for 17 years before returning.
Despite some cloying sentimentality, the musical resonates with contemporary themes of secure work and collective action. The shipyard symbolises a communal world built on shared pride and purpose. Sting, who once wanted to escape Wallsend, now views his hometown with greater appreciation.
