Rock legend Sting will be the first international act to grace the stage of QPAC’s new Glasshouse Theatre when he performs his own musical The Last Ship.
The 17-time Grammy Award winning artist will play a leading role in a renewed version of The Last Ship, the acclaimed musical first developed by Sting in 2011 and inspired by his 1991 album The Soul Cages.
Sting’s childhood in the British shipbuilding town of Wallsend inspired the story of The Last Ship about a community of shipbuilders in the northeast of England who are faced with the closure of their shipyard and the heart of their existence.
Sting said the show was his tribute to the people and the place that shaped him.
“I grew up in the shadow of the shipyard,” Sting said.
“My father wanted me to follow him into the shipyard, 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 further I got, the more I realised I needed to understand where I came from, and felt I had to give something back.”
He plays the role of Jackie White, the shipyard’s foreman whose health is failing just when his leadership is needed most.
The renewed version of the production includes Sting’s hits such as Island of Souls, All This Time, and When We Dance; plus there are new scenes and music, specially adapted for the 2026 run.
Sting will take a break from his world concert touring schedule to perform in The Last Ship across the globe including Amsterdam, Paris, and Brisbane.
The original stage production premiered in Chicago in 2014, followed by a Broadway run the same year, and then it continued in the UK, Ireland, and various European and US cities.
QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy said it was a huge coup for Brisbane to secure one of the few international seasons of the renewed production.
“You might have experienced Sting’s amazing stadium performances in the past, but witnessing a performer of this calibre sharing a fascinating and deeply personal story in the gorgeous intimacy of Queensland’s brand-new Glasshouse Theatre is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Ms Healy said.
“This will be Sting like you’ve never seen him before.”
The Last Ship forms part of the Glasshouse’s opening program and will run from April 9 – May 3.
To access the presale, join the waitlist.
