A restrained portrait of scapegoating and legacy – quietly powerful, but limited by its emotional flatness.Summary
Rating
Good
If you knew you had only two days left to live, what would you do? What would you think about? Swing! Swing! Admiral Byng!, written and directed by Christopher Swann, focuses on a real-life naval admiral who knew the exact hour of his execution, exploring this deeply unsettling question.
With flashes of intense lighting and booming cannon fire, uniformed officers transport the audience back to the naval conflict of 1756. Peter Tate‘s Admiral John Byng is sent on an impossible mission: to retake Port Mahon from the French, despite the fact that the island had already fallen before he even set sail. In battle, he commands with caution and tries to preserve his fleet, ultimately making the decision to withdraw. Upon his return to Britain, however, he is court-martialed and sentenced to death on the charge of “failing to do his utmost.”
The majority of the play unfolds during the final two days of Byng’s life, as he is confined to the great cabin of a warship. He is joined by his loyal servant Hutchens (Chris Barritt), his sister Sarah (Corrina McDermott), his close friend Captain Augustus Hervey (Merric Boyd), a young recruit Nicholas (James Shenoi), and, in a dream, the philosopher Voltaire (also played by Boyd). Time passes through conversations that attempt to weave together Byng’s quiet introspection and the helpless grief of those around him.
Voltaire’s appearance is unexpected. He did historically satirise Byng’s execution in Candide, and here he becomes more of a symbolic figure, representing Byng’s longing for understanding and justice beyond death. He provides Byng with some solace in his last hours by giving him glimpses into the futures of his loved ones. However, this surreal segment feels structurally abrupt and doesn’t quite achieve the emotional depth it seems to aim for.
The lack of strong dramatic conflict becomes more apparent as the play progresses. While there is warmth in the characters’ interactions, the stakes between them remain low, and the narrative unfolds at a steady, even pace. The use of monologues and extended dialogue, mostly centred around lamenting Byng’s unjust fate, gives the piece a linear structure that at times feels too flat. As a result, dramatic tension is difficult to sustain, and the emotional climaxes fall a little short.
Still, Byng’s final monologue delivers undeniable weight: “Man is unjust, but God is just, and nothing, not the avarice of men or the whims of the powerful can ever stand above, for it is justice that must finally triumph.” This restrained expression may well be what Swann most wants to leave us with: that dignity doesn’t always come through outrage, but through quiet perseverance. However, the play’s emotional release might have landed with greater force if this moment had been more gradually built up earlier.
For audiences drawn to the forgotten voices of history and the ways institutions fail individuals, Swing! Swing! Admiral Byng! offers a quiet and thoughtful reflection on scapegoating, justice, and the meaning of facing death with dignity, despite its reserved tone and slow pacing.
Written and directed by: Christopher Swann
Lighting Design by: Petr Vocka
Sound Design by: Christopher Swann
Set Design by: Peter Bingemann
Video Mapping by: Helena Hipólito
SWING! SWING! ADMIRAL BYNG! runs at The Playground Theatre until Saturday 17 May 2025.
