Sting’s musical about the decline of the Tyneside shipyards finally makes it to London, with the man himself starring
6 / 10
It’s a decent first half in general, charting the beginning of the end of the Wallsend shipyards – where Sting’s father Ernest worked – though the eyes of its workers and the local community, plus Gideon (Declan Bennett), who has returned to town after 17 years’ absence to come to terms with his late father’s death. Several characters from the previous versions have been dropped for Leo Warner’s production. But new for this version – which has a book by Brit playwright Barney Norris – is the Wallsend Ferryman.
