Shaggy to reprise Wallsend Ferryman role in The Last Ship for two nights only
by Best of Theatre Staff on Monday 3 August 2026, 9:43 am in Cast Changes and Announcements
Global reggae icon Shaggy will reprise his role as the Wallsend Ferryman alongside Sting in The Last Ship for two performances only, as the reimagined musical plays a strictly limited run at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 22 September to 3 October.
Global reggae icon Shaggy will reprise his role as the Wallsend Ferryman in The Last Ship, joining Sting on stage at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane for two performances only on 22 and 23 September.
The reimagined 2026 staging of The Last Ship plays a strictly limited run at Drury Lane from 22 September to 3 October, with Sting performing in every show. Due to prior commitments, Shaggy will appear at the first London performance on 22 September and at the gala press night the following evening. Further casting is to be announced.
“I immediately knew Shaggy was the perfect man for this role,” said Sting. “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.”
This new staging features a new book by Barney Norris, from a book by Lorne Campbell and based on an original book by John Logan and Brian Yorkey. It is directed by Leo Warner and produced by Karl Sydow, with set and video design by 59, a Journey studio, and includes new scenes and music specially adapted for the 2026 run.
Sting takes the leading role of Jackie White, the shipyard foreman whose health is failing just as his leadership is needed most. Rooted in the composer’s own childhood in the shipbuilding town of Wallsend, The Last Ship tells the story of a North East community facing the closure of the shipyard at the heart of its existence. Songs including Island of Souls, All This Time and When We Dance are woven through the fully staged production, which features a company of over 50.
“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.”
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 and orchestrator Rob Mathes, and MD and co-orchestrator Richard John.
First developed in 2011 and inspired by Sting’s 1991 album The Soul Cages, The Last Ship earned a Tony nomination for Best Original Score. The production has toured globally this year with runs in Amsterdam, Paris, Brisbane and the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, and returns to Amsterdam before the London premiere.