Sting - The Last Ship

[superval99]

After debuting in Chicago, Sting's The Last Ship is about to premiere on Tyneside, followed by a UK tour.   It will be interesting to see if it does better than it did in US.

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/whats-on/theatre-news/stings-musical-last-ship-due-13823417

[Jules]

It might, the musical talks about the Swan Hunter shipyard (anyone remember about it and its Mk connection?) so the story is quite local, from a Geordie, about Geordies, in Geordiland...

Jimmy Nail is in the play as well.

[superval99]

I'm sure it will be fine in Geordiland, but what about nationwide?        Yes, of course, I remember MK's connection with Swan Hunter.  Apart from the concert at City Hall, there was a documentary on TV at the time and the music used was from Golden Demos 1996 - Instrumentals 1, 2 and 3 - I don't know if they had proper titles - it sounded like parts of Behind with the Rent.  Someone may know?   

[Jules]

Who knows, maybe it would go to London West End after Newcastle. I didn't see any news about I further than Sting Instagram account.

What was wierd was to represent it in the US. I think it was premiered in Chicago and after it Salt Lake and Broadway, where it failed. A story about British people, specially from Newcastle... How they thought it might be a good idea?

A premiere in Newcastle and then moving to London would had been more logical...

[dmg]

What was wierd was to represent it in the US. I think it was premiered in Chicago and after it Salt Lake and Broadway, where it failed. A story about British people, specially from Newcastle... How they thought it might be a good idea?

A premiere in Newcastle and then moving to London would had been more logical...

Exactly!  Frankly, with a debut in the US it sounds like backing a sinking ship never mind The Last Ship!  Surely Newcastle was the place to set sail?

Please forgive the nautical references.

[superval99]

What was wierd was to represent it in the US. I think it was premiered in Chicago and after it Salt Lake and Broadway, where it failed. A story about British people, specially from Newcastle... How they thought it might be a good idea?

A premiere in Newcastle and then moving to London would had been more logical...

Exactly!  Frankly, with a debut in the US it sounds like backing a sinking ship never mind The Last Ship!  Surely Newcastle was the place to set sail?

Please forgive the nautical references.

Agree.  I never understood why it had it's debut in the US either.  Nobody would be able to understand the Geordie accent for a start!  I even have my doubts about the rest of the UK if the accents are very thick. 

[Jules]

Sting did a special representation with his band of the songs of the musical, where he introduced the songs and he, Jimmy Nail and other singers performed the parts that the actors would o at the stage, actually Jimmy Nail played at the play...

This is the representation I talk about, here you can listen to the accent

It's quite nice!

[superval99]

Actually, jbaent, I really like the Geordie accent.  Whenever I go over to Tyneside and have to ask directions, etc it sounds such a friendly, sing-songy accent.   It's just that some people may have difficulty in understanding it in different parts of the country.   Sting's accent has become much more refined and even Jimmy Nail can be understood a bit more these days, though!     

Auf Wiedersehen Pet was pretty successful, though, so perhaps I'm wrong!   

[dmg]

Actually, jbaent, I really like the Geordie accent.  Whenever I go over to Tyneside and have to ask directions, etc it sounds such a friendly, sing-songy accent.   It's just that some people may have difficulty in understanding it in different parts of the country.   Sting's accent has become much more refined and even Jimmy Nail can be understood a bit more these days, though!     

Auf Wiedersehen Pet was pretty successful, though, so perhaps I'm wrong!   

Auf Wiedersehen Pet also had Cockney, West Country, Brummie and Scouse accents!  It also had the advantage of being brilliantly written and performed though, so the musical itself has to be worthy.

[superval99]

Actually, jbaent, I really like the Geordie accent.  Whenever I go over to Tyneside and have to ask directions, etc it sounds such a friendly, sing-songy accent.   It's just that some people may have difficulty in understanding it in different parts of the country.   Sting's accent has become much more refined and even Jimmy Nail can be understood a bit more these days, though!     

Auf Wiedersehen Pet was pretty successful, though, so perhaps I'm wrong!   

Auf Wiedersehen Pet also had Cockney, West Country, Brummie and Scouse accents!  It also had the advantage of being brilliantly written and performed though, so the musical itself has to be worthy.

True!   I hardly watched it, though.  Not really my cup of tea!   

[Jules]

Watch the Sting video I posted, is really nice.

[superval99]

Watch the Sting video I posted, is really nice.

Watching now!   

[superval99]

I was very impressed - up to a point.   I thought that the storytelling, through the lyrics was really excellent, but the music was not very tuneful - everything sounded pretty similar and I have to admit that I found my attention drifting after a few songs.   The best song for me was Jock the Singing Welder - the Underground River was good too, also the folky interludes.

I was wondering, whilst watching, why on earth didn't Sting perform the musical in the first place, alongside Jimmy Nail.  If he had it might have been a success.   I also thought about MK doing a similar thing with Local Hero, but couldn't imagine it at all.   After all, Sting has done a lot of acting and he is much more of an extrovert than MK and much more eloquent.   Anyway, if LH is the mystery project, Mark won't be appearing on stage I'm pretty sure.   

[Jules]

Sting's The Last Ship is not only being represented at Newcastle, but the UK:

http://www.sting.com/news/title/the-last-ship-to-make-uk-premiere-in-newcastle/