Joe Mantello, with the help of choreographer Steven Hoggett, has outdone himself directing The Last Ship,book by John Logan and Brian Yorkey, music and lyrics by Sting. This is quite an interesting musical about a maritime town in Ireland that has stopped building ships and wants the workers, ship-builders for generations, to use their skills and tools to repair machinery. The townfolk want to build only ships, and they set out to build one themselves. Somehow they’re going to find the metal, engines, etc., and with a workman’s nobility and pride, build it.
Early on, the songs by Sting are prose, with the sound, extended, kind of melted onto the words. Later, the words become poetic, and melodic. The physical action in the show, the staging and physical interactions, is all poetic.
The entire cast are fine singers, and leading man Michael Esper is a star. His voice, looks and charisma fill the theater. The two women, Rachel Tucker and Sally Ann Tripplett, have strong, very musical voices, they are fine actresses and are lovely to look at. Fred Applegate makes a fine, strong priest.
Terrific set and appropriate costumes by David Zinn and perfect lighting by Christopher Akerlind lift the production to a high level.
So okay, it’s a good show. But I see a bit of sophistry: building on a false premise. Working-class people, with families to feed, offered employment using the tools they are familiar with turning down work? The proffered nobility is self-destructive. It’s as if a linotype operator, used to setting type for newspapers, an occupation that disappeared when computers appeared, decided that he wanted to set type only with a linotype machine and so would set up and print his own newspaper. Then what? A newspaper needs reporters, distributers, ads, readers. A ship needs cargo. It needs a shipping company. Maybe they can sell their ship. Maybe they can’t. It’s Don Quixote— Charge! Therefore, I was engaged by and enjoyed the evening with those good singer/actors and the imaginative staging despite feeling the premise to be a bit off.
