Launching the Last Ship
SUPERSTAR Sting and a host of other celebrities will be in Newcastle in March for the launch of The Last Ship – and tickets are still available to join them at a special party night (and even hear the main man sing). If you’ve a spare £250, that is.
The Wallsend-born musician, accompanied by actress wife Trudie Styler, will be the star attraction at a red carpet gala evening on March 20 during the debut run of his North Eastbased musical at Northern Stage.
And the audience is being promised a “spectacular night” at the glittering event whose high-profile guests will include local favourites: actress Denise Welch, Newcastle United legend Alan Shearer; Hairy Biker chef Si King, and former The X Factor winner Joe McElderry.
They will be sharing the spotlight at the special gala performance of Sting ’s musical which charts the emotional highs and lows of a group of shipyard workers who face the closure of their yard. And the tale, powered by stirring music and evocative lyrics, follows their valiant efforts to build and launch their own great vessel.
Actor Joe McGann – having taken over the role of the shipyard foreman vacated by Jimmy Nail, who gave a memorable performance in the musical’s US premiere – will be joined by other leads Charlie Hardwick, the local favourite and former Emmerdale actress, and ex-Coronation Street actor Richard Fleeshman.
The night promises to be a grand affair, with other famous faces in the audience set to include Kaiser Chief’s Ricky Wilson and Nick Baines as well as boxer Glenn McRory, Viz creator Simon Donald, presenter Jeremy Kyle, and the golfer Lee Westwood who is patron of the Graham Wylie Foundation which the whole gala performance is in aid of.
Already many of the night’s exclusive tickets available to the public have been snapped up, despite the £250 price tag.
But there are still some available and, if you can afford it, then you have every reason to treat yourself – because it’s all for such a good cause.
Some of the funds raised on the night will support FACT – Fighting All Cancers Together, while the main beneficiary is the Graham Wylie Foundation, the Newcastle-based charity – set up by the well-known North East businessman and founder of software giant Sage – whose aim is to help, inspire and educate children across the region.
The Foundation is also currently building the first Nordoff Robbins music therapy centre outside of London, which is due to open in spring at the site of the former Fleming Hospital where it will offer the charity’s pioneering treatment.
Sting, who has told how music has been the most important part of his life since he was a boy growing up on Tyneside, said: “I truly believe that access to music, in its many forms, can benefit and support everyone, giving them the chance to discover a life-long love. It’s great to see a music therapy centre coming to the North East funded by the Graham Wylie Foundation.”
To buy one of the limited number of tickets still available, book at http://bit. ly/TheLastShipGWF
The cost also includes an after-show party at Wylam Brewery, where Sting will be taking to the stage to perform