REVIEW: THE LAST SHIP @ THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE

🎭 The Last Ship

📍 Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5JF

🗓 Wednesday 23rd September 2026

⭐️ 3 Stars

SPECTACULAR SIGHTS, EMPTY SAILS

There is something rather special about walking through Covent Garden on a warm Autumn evening, knowing that you are heading towards the majestic facade of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. There’s an undeniable magic to a West End gala night, and the energy in the air for this long-awaited London debut was absolutely palpable. The foyer was buzzing with anticipation, all of us asking the exact same question: would pop superstar Sting’s theatrical passion project enjoy a smooth sailing, or was it set to fail to launch? The truth is that it is currently navigating some pretty stormy seas somewhere right in between.

For those unfamiliar with the voyage, THE LAST SHIP is a deeply personal piece inspired by Sting’s own childhood growing up in the shadow of the Wallsend shipyards. The narrative anchors itself around Gideon, a man returning home after seventeen years at sea to find his town on the brink of collapse. The local shipyard, the lifeblood of this tight-knit community, is facing sudden closure. Led by the foreman Jackie White, the workers take matters into their own hands, staging a defiant occupation to build one final, monumental vessel. It’s a concept rich with themes of industrial loss, regional pride, and working-class solidarity.

Stepping into the glorious auditorium, the atmosphere immediately wraps around you. As a bona fide technical theatre geek, I can safely say that when the house lights went down, it was a total ‘wow’ moment. The creative team has delivered something truly spectacular here. The stage is dominated by a towering, rusted boatyard set that stretches up into the rafters, perfectly capturing the gritty grandeur of Tyneside. The lighting design works in beautiful tandem with a flawless soundscape to evoke the cold, metallic clang of the yard. But it is the video design by 59 Productions that steals the entire show. The large-scale projections are breathtaking, casting the looming, ghostly silhouette of the ship across the space with a scale that feels genuinely operatic. Visually, it is an absolute masterpiece.

Where the production unfortunately hits a massive iceberg is in its book. The poignant central story of the shipyard closure is heavily cluttered by a terminal illness plotline, a strained family reunion, and a decades-old long-lost love story. Because it tries to steer through so many narrative currents, everything ends up floating on the surface. There is no real emotional weight to anchor the drama, which ultimately meant I struggled to truly care about the characters or the outcomes of their individual stories.

Even more surprising was how let down I felt by the music. There are simply far too many songs crammed into the running time, and they quickly begin to blend into one another. Sung with that distinct, raspy cadence, it’s obvious every single track was written specifically for Sting’s unique vocal styling - even the ones performed by the rest of the cast. It lacks the traditional light and shade of musical theatre storytelling. While one particular number in Act Two stood out as delightfully distinct, I still walked out into the Covent Garden night unable to hum a single melody. Clocking in at almost three hours, the pacing desperately needs tightening. Act One drags its feet quite a bit, though things thankfully pick up momentum in a much stronger, more engaging second act.

Thankfully, the cast is packed with extraordinary talent doing some seriously heavy lifting. Declan Bennett brings a brooding, magnetic complexity to Gideon, while Jackie Morrison is wonderfully grounded as the resilient Peggy White. Frances McNamee delivers a fierce, brilliantly watchable performance as Meg, matching grit with genuine vulnerability. But my absolute personal standout was Hannah Richardson. Goodness me, she blew me away! Her powerhouse vocals cut right through the auditorium, injecting a desperate need for raw emotion when she took centre stage.

Then, of course, there is the intriguing addition of reggae icon Shaggy. He steps into the role of The Wallsend Ferryman - a character who essentially acts as a narrative bridge between the old world and the changing tides of the town. Shaggy gives a remarkably strong, charismatic performance, but the character itself feels frustratingly throwaway. The script never quite explains his presence or deeper connection to the community, making his appearances feel a bit strange and disconnected from the main action.

Overall, despite its narrative flaws, I would still recommend checking this show out before its strictly limited run concludes. Just don't walk through the doors expecting a deeply emotional or weighty storyline. Go for the powerhouse performances, and absolutely go for the stunning, world-class visuals. It is a voyage worth taking, and it manages to stay afloat even if the waters get a little choppy along the way.

THE LAST SHIP continues performances at Theatre Royal Drury Lane until Saturday 3rd October.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair, and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one reviewer.  

My ticket for this performance of The Last Ship was gifted by Bread and Butter PR, who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given. 

CAST LIST:

Sting as Jackie White; Declan Bennett as Gideon; Jackie Morrison as Peggy White; Frances McNamee as Meg; Hannah Richardson as Ellen; Shaggy as The Wallsend Ferryman; Lejaun Sheppard as The Wallsend Ferryman (from 24th October); Joe Caffrey as Billy Thompson; Matt Beveridge as Freddy Newlands; Adam Strong as Davey; Duane Gooden as Adrian; Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong as Baroness Tynedale; Emma Thornett as Mrs Dees

Ensemble: Olivia Mae Baker; Matthew Gent; Helen Hill; Ediz Mahmut; Matthew McDonald; Grant Neal; Emma Thornett

Swings: Lydia Boulton; Llandyll Gove

RUNNING TIME (approx):

2 hours 50 minutes, including interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Flashing lights and images; Haze effects; Real fire elements on stage; Loud sound effects; Real-world themes of industrial decline

AGE RECOMMENDATION:

12+

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