Sting’s Ship Comes Home At Last
The Last Ship ★★★★★
Newcastle Northern Stage
Until Saturday 7th April
2018
Northern Stage are having a cracking
year in 2018 and with The Last Ship,
the Newcastle theatre realises its potential. Not known for musicals, the venue
has taken the music of Sting and crafted a show that hits the spot. It is a real call to arms and The Last Ship celebrates the communities
that lived in the shadow of the ships that were built along our coastline.
Photo: Pamela Raith |
The Last Ship involves a shipyard
foreman Jackie (Joe McGann) working on another project along with union shop
steward Billy (Joe Caffrey), drunk Davey (Kevin Wathen) and wannabe poet Adrian
(Charlie Richmond). Jackie has to battle with the yard management Mr Newland
(Sean Kearns) and politicians like Baroness Tynedale (Penelope Woodman) but he
has the loyal support of his wife Peggy
(Charlie Hardwick). Meanwhile, son of
former ship worker, Gideon (Richard Fleeshman) lands after 17 years away to
check up on his old girlfriend Meg (Frances McNamee) with whom he has had no
contact with whilst he was away at sea. Meg is now the landlady of the shipyard’s
local pub and she lives there with her 16 year old daughter Ellen (Katie Moore)
who wants to run off to London with the band that she has formed. The future of
Meg’s business is linked to the survival of the ship yard and it seems like the
business of the yard is everyone’s concern.
Photo: Pamela Raith |
This is very much an ensemble piece
with up to 16 voices adding their magic to Sting’s music and lyrics. There is a
generous distribution of songs to highlight the talents of Frances McNamee, Katie
Moore and Charlie Hardwick. The lads too get their moment in the spotlight with
fine performances from Joe Caffrey and Charlie Richmond however it is the way
in which Richard Fleeshman sounds so uncannily like Sting himself which really
stands out. In the wing of the wide stage are a live band under musical
director Richard John.
Photo: Pamela Raith |
The set design has the action
happening on a number of levels as the gangways run above the stage. A number
of screens descend form time to time and the projections put onto these screens
can change the setting from Jackie and Peggy’s living room to Meg’s pub very
quickly. This in turn helps keep the pace up and allows the action to flow. The
only problem as I saw it was when the ensemble were behind 2 sets of screens
and were hardly visible as they sang, though that might have been the idea. The
screens give an impression of the scale of the shipbuilding and you can feel
the action as the welding takes place up above. Adding to the atmosphere was
the sound design that added a church like echo to the voices when they were in such
a venue. It was a nice touch.
Photo: Pamela Raith |
This tale differs from the show that
took place on Broadway a few years ago in that the book has been completely
rewritten by Northern Stage’s Lorne Campbell. Whilst the songs have been
retained, Lorne has created a tale that discusses workforce friction, family
tensions and the political climate that we now trade in. He does that without getting
too heavy or too preachy. Having said that, the call to arms for a revolution
is thinly hidden whenever Joe Caffrey’s Billy is negotiating on behalf of the workers.
We enjoyed Get Carter but this
production puts Lorne’s work on a whole new level and he is to be congratulated
as both the writer and director for pulling off such a great show.
Photo: Pamela Raith |
It is, as I’ve already said, an
ensemble piece. The cast work hard and the pool of their collective talents
produces a show which is really special. It is going to go on tour and I’m not
sure how accessible a show about Wallsend will be with its local references. For
example, “Going for tests at the RVI” means something to anyone in Newcastle
but may leave the good people of Dublin baffled. Regardless of those – everyone
will understand the struggle of the workers to keep the jobs and conditions
intact and the impact of an old flame returning to visit his first love. There
is most that unites us than what divides us in that respect.
The Last Ship is an exceptional production from
Northern Stage. Great music and an interesting storyline delivered by a
fabulous cast makes this show one of the first major highlights of the region’s
theatrical year. The standing ovation was well deserved. I would happily go and
see it again.
Review by Stephen Oliver
On The Web:
#TheLastShip
***New Newcastle Date Added!! The Last Ship will return to Spiller's Wharf for an open air show on Bank Holiday Monday 28th May 2018. Tickets are available from our affiliate Eventim UK: http://bit.ly/LastShipTickets ***
***New Newcastle Date Added!! The Last Ship will return to Spiller's Wharf for an open air show on Bank Holiday Monday 28th May 2018. Tickets are available from our affiliate Eventim UK: http://bit.ly/LastShipTickets ***
2018 TOUR DATES
Monday 12 March – Saturday 7 April
NORTHERN STAGE
www.northernstage.co.uk | 0191 230 5151
Monday 9 – Saturday 14 April
LIVERPOOL PLAYHOUSE
www.everymanplayhouse.com | 0151 709 4776
Monday 16 – Saturday 21 April
THE NEW ALEXANDRA, BIRMINGHAM
www.atgtickets.com/Birmingham | 0844 871 7647
Tuesday 24 – Saturday 28 April
ROYAL & DERNGATE, NORTHAMPTON
www.royalandderngate.co.uk | 01604
624 811
Monday 30 April – Saturday 5 May
LEEDS GRAND THEATRE
www.leedsgrandtheatre.com | 0844 848 2700
Monday 7 – Saturday 12 May
NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE
www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk | 0115 941 9419
Monday 14 – Saturday 19 May
WALES MILLENIUM CENTRE, CARDIFF
www.wmc.org.uk
| 029 2063 6464
Monday 4 – Saturday 9 June
BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN
www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie | +353 1 677 7999
Tuesday 12 – Saturday 16 June
FESTIVAL THEATRE, EDINBURGH
www.edtheatres.com
| 0131 529 6000
Monday 18 – Saturday 23 June
THEATRE ROYAL GLASGOW
www.atgtickets.com/Glasgow | 0844 871 7647
Monday 25 – Saturday 30 June
YORK THEATRE ROYAL
www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk | 01904 623 568
Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 July
THE LOWRY, SALFORD
thelowry.com | 0843 208 6000
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.