Shaggy to reprise his role in Sting's THE LAST SHIP

The Last Ship, developed by Sting in 2011 and inspired by his 1991 album The Soul Cages, is based on his childhood in the British shipbuilding town of Wallsend. It 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.

This new staging, produced by Karl Sydow, features a new book by acclaimed writer Barney Norris and is directed by Leo Warner, with set and video design by 59, a Journey studio. This fully staged, large-scale production featuring a company of over 50 will include brand new songs, alongside beloved songs by Sting such as Island of Souls, All This Time, and When We Dance. It has toured globally this year, including stops in Amsterdam, Paris, and Brisbane, as well as a limited nine-show run at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York.

Sting plays Jackie White, the shipyard’s foreman, and will perform in all shows during the musical's limited run at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Reprising his role from the tour, Shaggy will star alongside him as the Wallsend Ferryman for two nights only, during the the first London performance on 22 September and on press night on 23 September. The remaining cast will be announced soon.

Sting called Shaggy "the perfect man for the job", commenting that his co-star has "a great sense of mischief, a great sense of joy, and he's also a natural actor."

The Last Ship will play at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 22 September to 3 October 2026.

The Last Ship Tickets