The title might not be the official one, but comes close to the content of the new musical which is in the making with the words of Sting and Brian Yorkey. They are working on a musical which we reported on last year, entitled “The Last Ship”, featuring music and lyrics by Sting and a book by Mr. Yorkey, who is directing. The story is set in the 1980s in Newcastle. The lead character, Gideon, is described as a man in his 30s: “Charismatic, charming, cynical, worldly-wise; quick to buy a round or throw a fist, slow to open his heart. Grew up around the shipyards of Newcastle, got out as soon as he could, coming home to come to terms with his family, his history, and his future.” This is very similar to The Soul Cages concept album from 1991, still considered to be one of Sting’s best albums ever.
Other principal characters include Gideons brother, Michael, who is a priest (“A man of the cloth, but dig just a little deeper and youll find a true Geordie under it all,”, Gideon’s ex-girlfriend, Meg (“resourceful, determined, and unsentimental”); the parish priest, Father O’Brien (“unofficially, the chaplain of the shipyard and the shepherd to the men who work there. By turns a comedian, a confessor and prophet”); and Meg’s husband, Arthur Cook, a former shipyard worker turned industrial titan (“in the manner of self-made men, confident, assertive and jealous of all thats his.”)
The musical’s score is likely to draw upon new compositions by Sting rather than existing songs from his catalog. For this purpose, Sting has written 20 or more new songs for the show.
Source: NY Times, StingUs
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