Adam Riches' solo play, 'The Captain', is currently running at Summerhall's Anatomy theatre in Edinburgh. The show delves into the story of Captain Matthew Webb, known as the first individual to swim the English Channel without assistance.
Riches takes on the role of Fred Beckwith, Webb's swimming coach, presenting the narrative as a lecture and eulogy. The performance incorporates audience participation and explores Victorian values with a droll humour, alongside bizarre historical details such as Beckwith's "mystical fifth swimming technique", the sidestroke.
While Riches, a comedian, infuses the play with humour, the production also explores themes of extreme masculinity and the pursuit of seemingly impossible feats. Riches is also performing another show, 'The Critic's Way', at the Edinburgh fringe.