The Last Ship - Cast Recording - Out Now

In case you've been too busy with Christmas & New Year, we thought we'd remind you that The Last Ship: Original Broadway Cast Recording is available NOW.. You need to get your hands on a copy as soon as possible, lock yourself away in a quiet room & blast it out of the best speakers you can find.

Amazon - Audio CD   -   Amazon - Mp3 Downloads   -   iTunes - Download

It is the best purchase we made over the Christmas Season & has been keeping us thoroughly entertained all through the holidays. We simply can not stop listening.. and we aren't being bias & only listening to Rachel either.. No the entire album is made up of astonishing vocal performances & incredibly beautiful music that gets stuck in your head. We garantee you'll be waking up with a different song from this album in your head every day of the week & you will not be complaining either, because it is all simply gorgeous.. What are you waiting for? Go buy it now...

 Amazon - Audio CD   -   Amazon - Mp3 Downloads   -   iTunes - Download

-- Reviews --

Check out THIS fabulous 'Gif Out' from Broadway Box.. it pretty much sums up our thoughts on the album as well, with handy little animated Gifs, showing their reactions to each song on the album.

Cast Album Review @ Blogspot enjoys the album as well & gave it a glowing review, with a few lovely words about Rachel being a stand out.. of course.

The iTunes reviews are so far 5 star & i'd suggest if you've already had a listen you go & add your opinion on the album too.

David Clarke of Broadway World Has a lot of praise for the cast recording & even more praise for Rachel.

Amazon - Audio CD   -   Amazon - Mp3 Downloads   -   iTunes - Download

Fan Review - The Last Ship - Jennifer Greenfield

It's that time again.. this time we draw your attention to a wonderful review of the show from Jennifer Greenfield. Thanks so much for taking the time to write this for us Jen, it's a fabulous review & makes us want to get over to see it, even more.

The Last Ship Review - By Jennifer Greenfield

        I feel very privileged having seen The Last Ship four times.  I saw the show on its first ever public performance in Chicago twice and then twice on Broadway including the official opening night.   The Last Ship is something very different than the typical Broadway musical.  The show incorporates contemplation/meditation on varying themes from love, loss and regret, to forgiveness, redemption and the changing and mending of relationships.  Sting has created a musical masterpiece. The melodies and harmonies are so lush and vibrant.  I had goose bumps during some of the exquisite harmonies in the music. The story is both uplifting and at times, heartbreaking. The acting in this show is stupendous. These performers leave it all on the stage as they give so much energy and emotion into their roles. The show is really a work of art from beginning to end. Beautiful and raw chemistry between the two leads Michael Esper and Rachel Tucker. They light up the stage. The set, lighting, direction and fun choreography add even more nuance to the show. Hope this ship sails on for a very long Broadway voyage.

The show takes us on a journey through a sea of emotions intricately woven together through three different plot lines.  We have the love story/triangle between Gideon, Arthur and Meg, the story of the shipyard workers building their last ship and lastly the story of family relations focusing specifically on fathers and sons.  I was moved to tears through all three stories. 

The set is just gorgeous, the lighting is spectacular, both moody and gritty which adds great ambiance and realism to the story and emotions being experienced by each character in the show.

The performance by Rachel Tucker playing Meg Dawson is a stand out performance one of which in my opinion, should be recognised come award season time.  Rachel infuses her character of Meg with vitality, passion, and toughness with heart.  She makes the audience feel empathy for Meg and root for the best possible outcome.  Rachel breaths life into a woman who has known heartache and struggle, while infusing her with vulnerability and love.  Sitting third row from the stage I was able to watch Rachel’s eyes tearing up with tears running down her face during some of her scenes.  If that is not committing to a performance and giving your all then I don’t know what is.  I was completely impressed.  Rachel has an incredible ability to emote which emits from the stage into the audience while tugging at your heart stings.  She really emotionally connects with her audience. She creates an audience performer rapport while taking the audience on an emotional journey.  Her stage presence is undeniable.  When she is on stage your eyes go to her. She has a commanding stage presence.  The singing is spot on and amazing. This girl can belt! 

I highly recommend this show.  Besides the exquisite music, I think the story has so many themes and emotions running through it that audiences will resonate with a few of the themes of this multi-layered show. "

Fan Review - The Last Ship - From @Lou_Lee1

It's that time again, another fabulous write up from a fan whose been lucky enough to get over to see Rachel in The Last Ship. Her thoughts are below.

"It is Oct 30th and I'm lucky enough to get to spend my birthday not just in glorious NYC, but by seeing Sting's freshly written new musical 'The Last Ship' which had its premier at the Neil Simon theatre just four days earlier. Having heard the album which had been written last year year and played recently on Radio 2, I can honestly say that my motivation to see this production was not the music. By not being a particular fan of Sting's, and not really having any emotional attachment to the music, my motivation to see this production was purely to see the brilliance of Rachel Tucker on the Broadway stage. The biggest problem with this mindset was that I was potentially creating a significant pitfall as my expectations had grown so enormous, particularly after her outstanding concert last year, that no performer would be able to stand up to my unrealistic expectations. I will review the performances later but for now let me recall the overall experience. 

As I've already explained, I had my initial reservations about Sting's score which is mostly new material with a few additions from previous albums. But the moment we get introduced to Young Meg and Gideon in 'Island of Souls' you are instantly transported to the raw grit of a Wallsend shipyard. The narrative is pretty straight forwards. Young Gideon played by the highly talented Colin Kelly-Sordelet, who also plays the son of older Gideon, (incidentally is there something in the 'Kelly' DNA that results in such talented performers!?) escapes his repressive father leaving behind his life including his childhood sweetheart for the adventure of life at sea. On his return, everything has changed and life has moved on leaving him to deal with the consequences. After finding his old flame Meg Dawson (the incomparable Rachel Tucker) a love triangle ensues as Dawson is now with Arthur Millburn (Aaron Lazar). Being reunited with her first love creates confusion and reignites the desire she once had and the anger she still has at his decision to escape. 

This love triangle is set against the backdrop of a community wanting to build one last ship in order to give there community meaning once more. The emotions run high throughout this production. The humour is provided by the wonderful comic timing of Father O'Brian played so compassionately by Fred Applegate and the passion to succeed against the challenges of society is portrayed with conviction by the whole company. There is not one week link in the company. All seem perfectly cast. Jimmy Nail acts like a narrator and carries the show with his authenticity. Sadly, my only complaint about this production results in his real accent showing up some of the rather suspect Geordie interpretations. Michael Esper has great stage presence and is completely believable as the older Gideon clearly fighting his own demons. Fortunately his acting makes up for his slighter weaker voice although his character suited a rough and gritty vocal. Aaron Lazar plays the more passive character in the love triangle whose voice is beautiful despite his character not having a great deal to play with. Then there is Rachel Tucker! I have been lucky enough to witness her talents previously in Farragut North as well as her wonderful solo concert. So I am very aware of her talents on stage. But this was the first time I got to witness her equal ability to sing and act together live on stage. Her ability to tell narrative through song is phenomenal. The love triangle is played out beautifully in "When We Dance" but none more so than Tucker's portrayal where you can see the tears streaming down her face. Every time Tucker is on stage she commands your attention with the attention to detail and the natural ease with which she puts life into her character. Meg's character could have had so much more backstory and the writers missed a trick  by not investing more time into this feisty character that Tucker brings so many dimensions to. Her number "If you ever see me talking to a sailor" is a show stealer. Thankfully the world got to see this after being shown live on the Jimmy Fallon show. I'm sure it's this performance that will land Rachel Tucker a Tony award and show the other side of the Atlantic how truly talented this unique and diverse actress actually is. Simply put, no other performer could uphold my unrealistic expectations yet Tucker never ceases to amaze!

Overall the show is a triumph! You leave feeling uplifted and enlightened, and in safe knowledge that you have just witness some of the most talented and in some cases the most extra-ordinary talent seen in world theatre. " @Lou_Lee1

Thanks so much @Lou_Lee1 for sharing your thoughts on The Last Ship, we find ourselves very jealous of how you got to spend your birthday & very grateful that you took the time to write this review for us. Thanks again.

If any of you are planning trips to The Last Ship, or have already had the pleasure, make sure you get in touch & let us know your thoughts.

Fan Review - The Last Ship - CherAnn

Seeing as so many of us are still saving up our pennies to get over to The Last Ship, we're doing our best to get in touch with any 'fans' of Rachel's who have managed to get there, to ask if they'd be interested in writing their own review of the show. We've managed to get a few people involved so far & look forward to many more in the future. Over the next week or so we'll be sharing the first few, but today we bring you the first in our series of 'Fan Reviews' for The Last Ship.

First up we have a review from CherAnn Macuroy..... Spoiler alert ahead (Just in case you don't know much about the show yet).

You can also read a slightly different version of this post directly on CherAnn's blog Van City Gal In London Town with a few extra pictures & links to relevant information, plus some really interesting updates from her about her time in London.

"I’m not the kind of person to write a  review of any kind, but in the past year I’ve  managed to see a few shows in London’s West End & on Broadway. So I thought I’d give it a go. I had heard about The Last Ship mostly because of a certain actress/singer from Ireland who was popular in Wicked in London for about 3 yrs. I had discovered her through someone I knew as well as through a West End actress, also from Wicked, who I had seen perform in 2013. This certain individual who just made her Broadway debut is Rachel Tucker. I had only known about her for the past year and had seen almost all her videos from when she was on BBC’s talent program “I’d Do Anything” and her gigs and “Wicked” performances after that, never seen her live. I had been planning a trip to NYC after being in London this past May 2014 with a British friend who I had met online through a theatre blogging website (ironically). Please check out her review of “The Last Ship” on OfficialTheatre.com. I had seen a couple of videos of my newfound friend in which she was interviewing Rachel Tucker a few months beforehand.  

Stepping into the Neil Simon Theatre on 52^nd Street in downtown Manhattan had me on my toes.  Not knowing much about the show, but booking our tickets a few months in advance, my fellow London friend/theatre blogger managed to be upgraded from the Mezzanine to third row from the stage! Her friend, who was just buying a last minute ticket, was also upgraded & got to sit with us! It was Saturday Oct 4^th, 2014 and it was the 1st matinee of the show since it hit the stage a few days ago. I guess because it was brand new and not many people knew about the show, the matinee was not sold out. It was a lucky day, indeed! It was so thrilling and exciting to see something brand new & also visiting the city that never sleeps (bucket list check!). 

The opening number, “Island of Souls” really captured the audience with the first main characters Jackie White, Young Gideon, Peggy White, Father O’Brien, Young Meg & the rest of the company. At first, I was freaking out because I saw the redhead girl that was supposedly Meg Dawson… Whom Rachel Tucker was playing, but it was not she. I thought to myself I’d have to see the show again because it was Rachel who I wanted to really see! (Plus, it was my 1^st time, ever, to see her perform live). However, as the show progressed & young Gideon left his hometown of Wallsend, & returned 15 years later (played by Michael Esper), “August Winds” brought chills to my body & the spotlight finally shone on Rachel Tucker, the older & matured Meg Dawson. She really drew in the audience, I could tell by the way she portrayed her role. As Sting once described her, she really is tough & tender! It was nice to see her soft sides during some parts of the show & a really sassy side, particularly during her solo performance of “If You Ever See Me Talking to A Sailor” in the hometown pub. Every move that she made, every expression, every laugh, every sad or angry moment… you could see and feel her talent oozing, & she made it so raw & believable! I found it really fascinating how Sting was able to tweak and work his music around her vocals and make it her own. I’m not too familiar with the accents of that part of the UK, but everyone’s accents seemed so perfect! Even Rachel’s accent seemed perfect which was tweaked due to her Northern Irish accent.  “The Last Ship” that is first sung by Father O’Brien is one of my favourites… I love how they bring it back as part II and in the Finale.  I thoroughly enjoyed the love triangle between Meg, Gideon & Arthur… another favourite I’d have to say is “When We Dance”. The lyrics are absolutely beautiful. It has amazing harmonies and Rachel’s vocals in this particular song was so stunningly gorgeous that balanced the two other actor’s voices which made the piece daunting, luring, and pretty-waltz-like at the same time. I have been listening to this song (Sting’s version) many times… I cannot wait for an official cast album! 

Act II began with “Mrs. Dees’ Rant” sung by Mrs. Dees and the women, including Rachel Tucker. There was no specific announcement when the intermission/interval was over, except for the flicker of lights out in the lobby. The actresses just came out of nowhere and began singing at the corner of downstage left (with a drink at hand) while people were still out in the lobby, in the restroom, or heading to their seats. All the house lights were on, which made it more like a personal interactive performance in which we could all take part in and clap along. It was so fun and a great way to start the second act! Mrs. Dees definitely is a powerhouse! One of my favourite scenes in this part of the show was the prison cell with Tom Dawson with his biological father, Gideon. You learn how similar they can be and how they form some sort of bond, through “The Night the Pugilist Learned How to Dance” (another soulful, daunting waltz)… I especially liked when Meg Dawson entered the scene, shouting at the top of her lungs and cursing like there’s no tomorrow. Haha! All the comical moments were really on point and it was so entertaining. Closer to the end of the show you get a strong, heartfelt performance of Gideon on his own for a good amount of time. I could really feel tears forming in my eyes, and could not stop them from streaming down my face in the Finale of the show. To not spoil the story, you really feel for all the characters at the end, especially for Meg and Tom.  

This piece of theatre is really a masterpiece in itself; it was like a breath of fresh air! I felt my heart go to my throat several times due to the talent that just blew me away. I was born in the 80’s and know very few songs of Sting & The Police, but I really didn’t know what to expect. It was so interesting to learn about Sting’s past and the way he shared his story through each scene and song. I enjoyed every moment of it that I had to see it again, two days later! I couldn’t get enough of the music; and to meet Rachel Tucker at the stage door afterwards really was a dream come true! A huge inspiration, that topped my trip for sure! The stage is the perfect size, the set transitions are beautiful to watch (particularly the shipyard), the cast is incredibly talented, the soulful music (Celtic-y/choral singing & harmonies) is gorgeous and catchy, the lyrics have so much heart and are absolutely brilliant, and the story is incredibly captivating. I must say (for me), Rachel Tucker stole the show! I honestly could not keep my eyes off of her! I’m not being biased, but most of the cast is made up of men and there are only a few women (who are all strong vocally), but there was something about Rachel that made the audience fall in love with Meg Dawson. I recommend anyone in Manhattan or visiting NYC to check out The Last Ship. If I were a local I would make an attempt to see this show on a regular basis to support this piece of art & the fantastic, talented cast. It deserves so much and it would be fantastic to see in the UK, where the story originates. It is worth every penny & more. 5 stars!  

FYI: there is what they call a “Saturday Night Scream” I believe before or after the show on Saturdays where the cast of The Last Ship sing/serenade their neighbours of Jersey Boys over at the August Wilson Theatre across the street. The cast recently sang some Lionel Richie right outside the stage door & front entrance of the Neil Simon Theatre!

 - C.A. Macuroy T., North Vancouver, BC, Canada"

Thanks so much Cherann for being the first brave person to share their thoughts for our blog. We really appreciate you taking the time to write such a great review & letting us feature it here.

Sting's Speech at Opening Night of The Last Ship

We thought you might enjoy this video of Sting's speech after opening night on Broadway.

We've also just spotted this quote about Rachel's performance from NotRightNeverWrong Blog.

We're going to agree that everyone will know Rachel now, but we're just glad we've known her for a long time & been blessed by her talent & kindness. 

Fiery and Vibrant

Just wanted to show you this lovely new graphic of Rachel which appeared on The Last Ship's official twitter.

Below is also a link to a review featured on another blog written by Kevin Filipski:

http://flipsidereviews.blogspot.co.uk/2014/10/broadway-reviewstings-musical-last-ship.html 

Don't forget to follow us on Twitter and send in your reviews of The Last Ship if you've been lucky enough to see Rachel on Broadway!

The Last Ship - Broadway Opening - Review Roundup

Wow, so now that The Last Ship is officially open, the reviews are coming in thick & fast.. below we're going to attempt to pick out all the Rachel related quotes & then link you back to the full reviews to read more about their thoughts on the show.

NYTimes: "Setting Course to Reclaim the Past"

Variety: Broadway Review: "Sting's "The Last Ship."

The NY Post: "Sting's debut musical isn't perfect but it stays afloat."

NBC NY: "The Last Ship Is a High-Water Mark for Sting."

USA Today: "Sting Revisits Roots in Buoyant, Moving 'Last Ship.'"

Timeout NY: "The Last Ship"

Entertainment Weekly: "The Last Ship"

NY Daily News: 

The Guardian: "Sting Musical takes inspiration from the Shipyard."

Deadline: "The Last Ship Review: Jeremy Gerard on Sting's Tuneful ......."

Chicago Tribune: "The Last Ship at the Neil Simon Theatre"

Musical Theatre Review: "The Last Ship Review, New York, Neil Simon Theatre."

Theatre Mania: Review

Starwatch By Line: "Broadway Spotted: The Last Ship"

The Columbus Dispatch: "The Last Ship: Musical Showcases power of songs from Sting."

New York Theater: "Sting's Hometown Tale on Broadway."

Perez Hilton: "The Last Ship"

Stagezine:

Vulture: "The Last Ship Set's Sail"

Lighting & Sound America: Theatre In Review: "The Last Ship"

Daily Geekette: "What Say You, Meg?; Sting's The Last Ship, Review"

Harpers Bazaar: "Sting's Broadway Debut."

JK's Theatre Scene: Review

We hope you've enjoyed reading these comments about Rachel's performance in The Last Ship, now for something slightly different but still related. Rachel got praised as the 'Best Dressed' at the Red Carpet for "The Last Ship." 

• "Rachel Tucker looked absolutely beautiful in her red ensemble. The lace, the lip and her vibrant stiletto heels along with the stunning jewels by Verdura, set her apart from everyone else. She stole the red carpet last night."

While we have you here, there's a few more photo's from curtain cal/the red carpet, which were released after our previous post. So you can find them below.

From GettysImages and TheatreMania.