Sting's The Last Ship opens on Broadway

The newest in a growing line of rockers trying their hand at crafting a Broadway show, Sting's THE LAST SHIP just opened over the weekend.

We had a chance to check out the show, and it's one to see.

Sting has always been one of rock's more literary songwriters, and his past life as a teacher has certainly informed much of his composing over the years. Smart, cerebral songs that always go deep beneath the surface of the characters he describes. Always more than the average three-chord rock tune, and packed with surprises, and this show is no different.

Sting's score feels organic to the piece, and drives both story and character without feeling, as many rock shows do, like a jukebox effort. Even when familiar songs of his appear, like ALL THIS TIME and WHEN WE DANCED, they don't seem like drop-ins. It may help that Sting, along with seasoned bookwriters John Logan and Brian Yorkey, have built a tale based around the town of Sting's upbringing - Wallsend - and the shipyards that kept the hamlet humming through much of his childhood.

The plot takes some suspension of disbelief, but the performances are rock solid, and you will definitely leave the theater humming one or more of the tuneful selections from the show.

The choreography feels earthbound in its nature, and it's no wonder - Steven Hoggett has created the movement for shows ranging from ONCE to BLACKWATCH, and has an innate sense of how to tell a blue collar story with dance moves that seem to spring from the everyday actions of these characters, making believable dancers of iron workers and barmaids.

This show joins the growing trend of musicals depicting the hard knocks of the working class (ONCE, BILLY ELLIOTT, KINKY BOOTS, THE FULL MONTY) but that world has never felt so real and three dimensional as in THE LAST SHIP.

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