The Last Ship - Chicago

[VernonGersch]

First preview performance was tonight in Chicago. Anyone get the chance to see it?
The Last Ship - Chicago

[jon5202]

The Last Ship opened to a full house last night in Chicago. Runs about 2 hrs and 45 minutes, two acts. 30 member ensemble

12 scenes (11 songs, 1 reprise) in Act I and 9 scenes (8 songs, 5 reprises) in Act II.

A pleasant show with a good cast though Michael Esper in the lead does not have a lot of charisma on stage. Aaron Lazar as a secondary lead is much more interesting. Fred Applegate as an Irish priest gets the best lines and the most laughs. All other performances are fine.

The music is pretty much in the theatrical Broadway style. The song The Last Ship is repeated often enough that you will remember that one on the way out. Lyrics were hard to understand but the sound system may need some adjustment (this was the first audience performance). There is more stage movement than choreography. The book is OK but could use more character development.

All in all a pleasant time in the theatre. Is this a potential hit Broadway show? No, I don't think so. It will last on Sting's name alone and satisfy enough theatre goers looking for a night out where they don't have to think too much. Closest comparison stylistically is to Once and/or Billy Elliott though less emotional than either of those at least for me.

[WhizzerMarvin TrinaJasonMendel]

Thanks for your thoughts.

How were Sally Ann Triplett and Leah Hocking?

[neonlightsxo]

"There is more stage movement than choreography"
Not surprising as the choreographer on this is Steven Hoggett.

Can you tell a little about what the story is?

Looking to hear more opinions as well.

[RippedMan]

Design wise? Is this a big show?

[uncageg]

neon, click on the link in the first post. You will find the the storylime there.

[neonlightsxo]

Was looking for more specifics than the Playbill blurb, like who the characters are.

[GilmoreGirlO2]

I will be seeing this in July toward the end of the run. Jon, do you think that, with the basis they have right now, it’s possible that changes would change your opinion that it won’t be a big hit? Or do you think the problems are inherent to the story itself and even the show at its best wouldn’t become a huge hit?

[pndmnd]

I went last night and was really pleasantly surprised by the show! It's not that I thought it would be horrible, but I didn't know what to expect and definitely had some reservations going in. I thought the set was wonderful, the actors were great, and the book and music were MUCH stronger and more moving than I expected. For a first performance with an audience it was also much more polished than I've seen with others. There were some glitches, but I would say the work before Broadway is more cleaning up/tightening things up than making major changes.

I actually disagree with jon on multiple counts. For starters, I liked the book. They do sing "The Last Ship" multiple times, but there's other surprisingly good and catchy music, too. I agree that I did have a little trouble understanding some of the lyrics, but I did better as it went along which makes me wonder if it was partly my ears adjusting to the dialect (so maybe they need to do a better job with annunciation). I definitely disagree with jon's opinion of Michael Esper. I thought it was a very honest portrayal and was definitely powerful. Of course, I was also sitting pretty close so I don't know if that power reached the back of the house. Aaron Lazar was good, too, but I wouldn't say he outshone Esper.

Whizzer - Leah Hocking is really in an ensemble roll, but the entire ensemble was very good and seemed to mesh well. Sally Ann Triplett was fabulous. She was so good that at times I felt like her character was more of the female lead. Rachel Tucker was fine (vocally I thought the majority of the cast sounded a little weak last night, so I would guess that they're worn out or there's a bug going through the company), but Triplett had more of an arc with her character.

The audience response was pretty big (big applause and cheers after certain songs, and a standing ovation that started during the chorus bows). I actually think it will do reasonably well in New York, at least for a season.

[little_sally]

I'm really looking forward to this so I hope it does well.

[neonlightsxo]

Thanks so much for sharing, pndmnd. Also glad to hear you enjoyed Esper. I usually find him to be excellent.

This may seem silly, but how are the American actors doing with the British accents?

[peachesr82]

I grew up in the North East, I come from a family wo grew up around ship building, from what I've heard of the music it's got a slight Northumbrian lilt to it, Northumbrian pipes etc.. I'd be interested to find out how much that carries through to the full show.
It's more than just doing a British accent, it's doing a Geordie accent and it's quite difficult, they have some Geordie's in the show anyway but it's way more than just doing a nice clipped English accent, tho I suppose you're all used to it now with Billy Elliot having been over there.
Esper has always been good when I've seen him in anything, he feels like a good fit for the show, difficult to tell without seeing it, not sure I'll get to Chicago, might have to wait until the fall.

[Broadway Local]

Took the subway home tonight, where I saw an ad on the wall for THE LAST SHIP. Was all excited until I looked it up and discovered it's a new Michael Bay TV series premiering soon on TNT, about a US Navy destroyer crew after a virus has wiped out civilization.


A likelihood of confusion?

[jon5202]

Article by Chris Jones - Chicago Tribune - about the creation of the show:

http://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/theater/ct-sting-last-ship-preview,0,6831253.column

[Mr. Nowack]

Would someone who's seen it be able to share a song list? I heard that a lot of the songs from the album aren't in the actual show, and would love to hear what songs are included, and what new songs have been added.

[VernonGersch]

I'll post the song list when I have my Playbill handy. The scene where the three sing When We Dance was incredibly moving and beautifully staged - and sung.

[jon5202]

Scene/song list/characters:

Act I

Prologue
"Island of Lost Souls" Jackie White, Young Gideon, Young Meg, Company

Ship/Quayside
"And Yet" Gideon Fletcher

Church Confessional
Quayside, Spanish Battery
"August Winds" Meg Dawson

Ship in the Hole
"Shipyard" Jackie White, Billy Thompson, Peggy White
Father O'Brien, Tom Dawson, Company
"If You Ever See Me Talking to a Sailor" Meg Dawson, Women

Fletcher Home
"Dead Man's Boots" Gideon Fletcher, Joe Fletcher

Church Vestry
Church
"The Last Ship (Part One)" Father O'Brien

Ship in the Hole Pub
"Sail Away" Peggy White
"The Last Ship (Part Two)" Jackie White, Father O'Brien, Company

High Farm Hill
"What Say You, Meg?" Arthur Milburn

Shipyard
"We've Got Now't Else" Jackie White, Shipyard Men

Ship in the Hole Pub
"When We Dance" Gideon Fletcher, Meg Dawson, Arthur Milburn
"The Last Ship (Reprise)" Gideon Fletcher, Jackie White, Father O'Brien, Company


ACT II

Entr'acte
"Mrs. Dees' Rant" Mrs. Dees, Women

Prison Cell
"The Night the Pugilist Learned How to Dance" Gideon Fletcher, Tom Dawson

Shipyard
"We've Got Now't Else (Reprise)" Jackie White, Father O'Brien, Company

Hospital
"So to Speak" Father O'Brien, Meg Dawson

Church
"Hymn" Company

Ship in the Hole Pub
"Show Some Respect" Peggy White, Jackie White, Gideon Fletcher, Company

Shipyard
"Island of Souls (Reprise)" Meg Dawson, Young Gideon, Young Meg, Gideon Fletcher
"It's Not the Same Moon" Gideon Fletcher, Meg Dawson
"Underground River" Jackie White, Company

Graveyard
"Ghost Story" Gideon Fletcher, Tom Dawson

Shipyard
"Sail Away (Reprise)" Peggy White, Jackie White
"August Winds (Reprise) Gideon Fletcher, Tom Dawson
"The Last Ship (Finale)" Company