Summerhall
Four stars
In a world full of heroes, sometimes it is the forgotten ones who are worth unearthing most of all. So it goes with Matthew Webb, the Shropshire born Victorian seaman who became the first man to swim the English Channel. Adam Riches here takes a deep dive into Webb’s life as seen through the eyes of Webb’s trainer and swimming champion, Fred Beckwith.
With the shrouded body of Webb sitting centre stage, Beckwith gives what is effectively an extended eulogy to his former charge, with the audience mourners at his wake. In Riches' rendition, this becomes a legendary yarn of such largesse as to elevate him to the sort of grand old man of the sea who might occupy a story by Herman Melville.
Riches has channeled a tale of rivalry and failure, and of one man’s sheer determination in the face of public ridicule to achieve what was once thought impossible, or else die trying. This is offset by a comic swagger from Riches, who gets us all swimming along as he stamps out his shanty like all good swimming instructors should do.
In the end, The Captain is a hearty tale of derring do, and of how a little guy with a big heart took a different stroke to all the rest to succeed on his own terms. Only a run in with something a whole lot bigger than the Channel saw Webb meet his match. The long term side-effect of this has seen his story given its rightful place in the record books and put the world in the swim ever after.
Until Aug 31, 11.45am.
The Herald, August 18, 2026
ends
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