Sting's THE LAST SHIP To Launch In Newcastle March 2018 Ahead Of Major UK Tour

The Last Ship - the acclaimed musical by the internationally renowned musician Sting - is to premiere in the UK when it opens at Northern Stage in Newcastle on 12 March 2018.

The production, which will star Jimmy Nail, has a TONY-nominated original score and lyrics composed by Sting. It will play a 4-week season in Newcastle before embarking on a major UK & Ireland Tour.

The production, which was initially inspired by Sting's 1991 album The Soul Cages and his own childhood experiences, tells the story of a community amid the demise of the shipbuilding industry in Wallsend, Tyne and Wear, with the closure of the town's Swan Hunter shipyard.

When Gideon Fletcher returns home after seventeen years at sea, tensions between past and future flare in both his family and his town. The local shipyard, around which Wallsend has always revolved, is closing and no-one knows what will come next, only that a half-built ship towers over the terraces.

The show is directed by Lorne Campbell, the artistic director of Northern Stage, with set design by the Tony Award-winning 59 Productions.

One of the country's most exciting and acclaimed theatre directors, Edinburgh-born Lorne Campbell had his first professional job as an assistant director at Northern Stage, before returning as artistic director in 2013. A graduate of Channel 4's Young Theatre Director scheme, he has previously worked with the Liverpool Everyman Playhouse, Bath Theatre Royal, Traverse Theatre and Greyscale theatre company, which he co-founded. Productions for Northern Stage include Get Carter, Dr Frankenstein and A Song For Ella Grey

This personal, political and passionate new musical from multiple Grammy Award winner Sting, is an epic account of a family, a community and a great act of defiance. With original music and lyrics by Sting, The Last Ship also features a few of his best-loved songs Island of Souls, All This Time and When We Dance.

This is the proud story of when the last ship sails.

Further casting to be announced.

The Last Ship is produced by Northern Stage in association with Karl Sydow and Kathryn Schenker.

2018 TOUR DATES

ON SALE FROM MONDAY 30 OCTOBER

Monday 12 March - Saturday 7 April

NORTHERN STAGE

northernstage.co.uk | 0191 230 5151

Monday 9 - Saturday 14 April

LIVERPOOL PLAYHOUSE

everymanplayhouse.com | 0151 709 4776

Monday 16 - Saturday 21 April

THE NEW ALEXANDRA, BIRMINGHAM

atgtickets.com/Birmingham | 0844 871 7647

Monday 23 - Saturday 28 April

ROYAL & DERNGATE, NORTHAMPTON

royalandderngate.co.uk | 01604 624 811

Monday 30 April - Saturday 5 May

LEEDS GRAND THEATRE

leedsgrandtheatre.com | 0844 848 2700

Monday 7 - Saturday 12 May

Nottingham Playhouse

nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk | 0115 941 9419

Monday 14 - Saturday 19 May

WALES MILLENIUM CENTRE, CARDIFF

wmc.org.uk | 029 2063 6464

Monday 28 May - Saturday 2 June

BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN

bordgaisenergytheatre.ie | +353 1 677 7999

Monday 11 - Saturday 16 June

FESTIVAL THEATRE, EDINBURGH

edtheatres.com | 0131 529 6000

Monday 18 - Saturday 23 June

THEATRE ROYAL GLASGOW

atgtickets.com/Glasgow | 0844 871 7647

Monday 25 - Saturday 30 June

YORK THEATRE ROYAL

yorktheatreroyal.co.uk | 01904 623 568

Monday 2 - Saturday 7 July

THE LOWRY, SALFORD

thelowry.com | 0843 208 6000