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Shaggy To Join Forces With Sting For Exclusive Brisbane Performances

Tyler Jenke

“To witness two close friends bring Sting’s own story to life is a rare and unmissable experience," says QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy.

Sting & Shaggy
Sting & Shaggy(Credit: Samuel van Leeuwen)
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As British rock legend Sting prepares to bring his The Last Ship musical to Brisbane for an exclusive Australian season, the cast has now been expanded with the addition of reggae veteran Shaggy.

Announced back in August, Sting will be performing in his musical, The Last Ship, from April 9th to May 3rd at Queensland Performing Arts Centre’s (QPAC) newest venue, the Glasshouse Theatre.

Playing the lead role, the musical was first developed by the singer and performer in 2011 and was inspired by his 1991 album, The Soul Cages.

The Last Ship tells the story of a community of shipbuilders located in Northeast England. Faced with the impending closure of the shipyard, the characters seek a new purpose. Sting’s character, Jackie White, is the shipyard’s foreman and is dealing with ailing health.

Now, Orville Richard Burrell CD – or Shaggy, as he is professionally known – will complement the cast by appearing in the role of the Wallsend Ferryman alongside 48 artists, musicians, and choristers.

“I’m honoured to join Sting onstage in Brisbane and am especially grateful to help bring a story so personal to him to life,” Shaggy said in a statement.

QPAC Chief Executive Rachel Healy described Shaggy’s addition to The Last Ship as a boon for the Australian-exclusive season in Brisbane. 

“Sting and Shaggy have collaborated for years – from their Grammy Award‑winning album 44/876 to extensive international touring – but global audiences have never seen them step into character roles side by side,” Healy said.

“To witness two close friends bring Sting’s own story to life is a rare and unmissable experience, and we’re thrilled that Queensland’s new Glasshouse Theatre will host the only Australian season of this remarkable creative partnership.”

“This stellar production will be among the first to premiere in our new Glasshouse Theatre – a contemporary 1,500-seat venue designed to attract acclaimed artists and shows from Australia and around the world alongside our local artists and arts companies,” echoed Queensland Minister for the Arts John-Paul Langbroek.

“Hosting The Last Ship’s exclusive Australian season will lure thousands of people to our State capital, inject more than $11 million into our economy and grow our capacity for major arts events in the lead up to the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Described by Sting as a very personal show, Sting explained that The Last Ship is heavily inspired by his own upbringing. “I grew up in the shadow of the shipyard,” he stated. “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 farther I got, the more I realised I needed to understand where I came from and felt I had to give something back. The Last Ship is my tribute to the people and the place that shaped me.”

The Last Ship will be performed at the Glasshouse Theatre from April 9th to May 3rd, with tickets on sale now.