STING TO PERFORM IN ALL SHOWS DURING THE LIMITED RUN AT THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE FROM 22ND SEPTEMBER – 3RD OCTOBER 

THIS NEW STAGING, FEATURING NEW SONGS, IS PRODUCED BY KARL SYDOW, FEATURES A NEW BOOK BY ACCLAIMED WRITER BARNEY NORRIS AND IS DIRECTED BY LEO WARNER WITH SET & VIDEO DESIGN BY 59, A JOURNEY STUDIO

SHAGGY TO REPRISE ROLE AS THE WALLSEND FERRYMAN IN STING’S NEWLY ADAPTED MUSICAL, THE LAST SHIP

FOR TWO NIGHTS ONLY (22 & 23 SEPTEMBER) AT THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE

0. Global reggae icon Shaggy is set to co-star with Sting in the reimagined 2026 adaptation of Sting’s musical The Last Ship for just two nights at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Shaggy plays the role of the Wallsend Ferryman. The production has toured globally this year, including stops in Amsterdam, Paris, and Brisbane, as well as a limited nine-show run at the famed Metropolitan Opera House in New York. Due to prior commitments, Shaggy will perform in the first London performance on 22 September and at the Gala / press night the following evening on 23rd.

   Sting says, “I immediately knew Shaggy was the perfect man for this role. He has a great sense of mischief, a great sense of joy, and he’s also a natural actor. We’ve taken the Ferryman all over the world together this year, and I’m thrilled he’s crossing over to Drury Lane with me too, even if only for two performances.”

   The remaining cast will be announced soon.

17-time Grammy Award winning artist Sting will perform throughout the run of this newly reimagined production of his musical from 22 September – 3 October. Featuring a new book by Barney Norris, this revised production of the Last Ship, produced by Karl Sydow, is directed by Leo Warner with set and video design by 59, a Journey studio.

While continuing the STING 3.0 World Tour, Sting has also dedicated time this year to takingThe Last Ship production to cities across the globe, with hugely successful runs in Amsterdam, Brisbane, Paris, and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York City, performing in every show.. The show returns to Amsterdam prior to the London premiere.

Sting plays a leading role in The Last Ship, the acclaimed musical he first developed in 2011, initially inspired by his 1991 album The Soul Cages, which earned a TONY nomination for Best Original Score.

Rooted in his own childhood in the British shipbuilding town of Wallsend, The Last Ship tells the moving story of a community of shipbuilders in the North East of England, faced with the closure of their shipyard – the heart of their existence.

Sting takes on the role of Jackie White, the shipyard’s foreman whose health is failing just as his leadership is needed most. In this very personal show, the artist immerses the audience in the hometown he was desperate to escape, a world where love, loss, and hope intertwine.

“I grew up in the shadow of the shipyard,” says Sting. “I’d watch thousands of men walk to work each morning, but I dreamed of something else… I dreamed of escaping, and I did everything in my power to get away from that life. But the farther I got, the more I realized I needed to understand where I came from and felt I had to give something back. The Last Ship is my tribute to the people and the place that shaped me.”

Sting’s beloved songs such as Island of Souls, All This Time, and When We Dance are woven into the performance in this fully staged, large-scale production featuring a company of over 50.

The Creative Team also includes Set and Props Designer Jenny Melville; Costume Designer Loren Elstein; Lighting Designer Adam Bassett; Sound Designer Tom Gibbons; Animation Director Matt Taylor; Choreographer Rebecca Howell; Video Designer Benjamin Pearcy; Musical Supervisor & Orchestrator Rob Mathes And Md & Co-Orchestrator Richard John.

Biographies available here: thelastship-musical.com

THE LAST SHIP is produced by Karl Sydow.

In tandem with the new series of performances surrounding The Last Ship, Sting released The Last Ship (Expanded Edition), an extended version of his acclaimed album featuring five brand new recordings. Produced by Sting and Rob Mathes, mixed by Donal Hodgson and four-time Grammy Award–winner Robert “Hitmixer” Orton, the album is available now in digital and physical formats—including CD and two-disc vinyl.