SWING! SWING! ADMIRAL BYNG!

CAST & COMPANY BIOS

CHRISTOPHER SWANN

Writer | Director

Christopher Swann has spent his working life in the Media and has made numerous radio and television programmes as a Producer, Director and Writer. He has won BAFTA, EMMY, Gramophone, Echo, Gold Camera (Chicago) and Prix Italia Awards, and has three further Emmy nominations as well as receiving Grammy, BAFTA and New York Film Festival nominations. His films have also won a Cable Ace award and the documentary prize at the Chichester Film Festival.

He began his career as a Producer and Journalist on the BBC Radio arts magazine programme “Kaleidoscope”. He then joined BBC Television as a Producer and Director in the Music and Arts department, where he authored a host of films for BBC1 and BBC2. After serving as the Deputy Editor of the BBC1 ‘Omnibus’ programme he left the BBC to become freelance. As well as running his own TV company, he directed operas at La Scala Milan for RAI and concerts in the Philharmonie in Berlin for JSB as well as a number of events in Israel, Germany, Holland and the UK. He famously directed the wettest show on TV – “Pavarotti In Hyde Park.”

Christopher directed the multi award winning documentary “Leonard Bernstein’s West Side Story” featuring Bernstein, Jose Carreras and Kiri te Kanawa. He executive produced and co-directed “A Prokofiev Fantasy” featuring Sting, Claudio Abbado, Roy Hudd, the Theatre de Complicité, and Spitting Image puppets, which won the International Emmy Award in the Performing Arts category.

He wrote and directed the television documentary drama “I Am Ireland” which starred the Irish actor Barry McGovern and was narrated by Patrick Bergin. He filmed and scripted the series “Dickens in America” featuring Miriam Margolyes and wrote and directed a feature length documentary on the internationally renowned architect Daniel Libeskind. He worked with Meryl Streep when she did the voice over for his film for his film about Leonardo’s “Ginevra” and has made several programmes with Paul McCartney. 

As a playwright Christopher has written the “Forgotten Trilogy” - three stage plays: “One Night”, “Up In The Blue” and “Swing! Swing! Admiral Byng!”.

“One Night” had readings in London and at the Unicorn Theatre in Abingdon and was then directed by Christopher for its short premiere in Birmingham at St Pauls JQ in October 2023. “Up In The Blue” has been given in enhanced readings in London and Oxfordshire, “Admiral Byng” is planned to go into full production in London in May 2025.  He has also written optioned Television series pilots and Feature Scripts.

On the stage he developed, co-wrote and directed “Norma Jeane - The Musical” which played at the Rose and Crown in Walthamstow and was revised to play for three weeks at the Lost Theatre, Stockwell, London when it starred Joanne Clifton as Marilyn Monroe. 

PETER TATE as Admiral Byng

Founder and Artistic Director of The Playground Theatre, actor Peter Tate has played many leading roles including at The National Theatre, The Arts Theatre in the West End, The Almeida Theatre as well as The Public Theatre in New York and several European Theatres, most recently in Milan at Teatro Filodrammatici. 

His interest in European Theatre culminated in an invitation to play Macbeth by the acclaimed Polish Director Henryk Baranowski at the Teatr Śląski in Poland. 

 Most recently at The Playground Theatre, Tate took on the role of the brilliant but bipolar artist Cyril Mann in The Girl in the Green Jumper.  His highly acclaimed award winning one man show Picasso: Le Monstre Sacre directed by Olivier award winner Guy Masterson followed it's run at The Playground with a multiple ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ run at The Edinburgh Fringe.

Prior to that, Peter Tate played Shylock in A Merchant of Venice directed by Bill Alexander. His own play One Man premiered last spring as part of the Love and Destruction evening and has just recently competed filming. 

Tate has won numerous awards for his stage version of Odd Man Out in Jerusalem, St Petersburg and Wroclaw to name a few. The Film adaptation of Odd Man Out has garnered Tate numerous best actor awards at International film festivals.

CHRIS BARRITT

Chris is delighted to return to the Playground having made his debut in Gail Louw’s ‘Storming!’ last year.

He followed that as Exley in ‘ Breakfast With Jonny Wilkinson’ at The Tabard and as Ted in Netflix’s ‘Bank of Dave 2’.

Chris spent 10 years acting in Belfast and Dublin.

He has worked since at The National Theatre and many appearances in the West End including ‘The Lady in the Van’, ‘The Misanthrope’ ‘The History Boys’ and ‘The Caretaker’.

In 2019, he toured USA for four months with ‘An Inspector Calls’.

JAMES SHENOI

James graduated from East 15’s year long foundation course in Southend, as well as The National Youth Theatre in 2022, since appearing as; Tony in Abigail’s Party, a role which he reprised, Acaste in The Misanthrope, The Private in One Night and Jimmy Porter in Look Back In Anger. He is now represented by Bazan Talent Agency and is very eager and dedicated to continually growing and learning as an actor.

MERRIC BOYD

Born in London, Merric's original passion was the piano which he studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He went on to study acting at LAMDA and the ARTSED. Theatre credits include Doctor Bailley in the White Witch, the Chaplain and the Colonel in One Night , Charles Bullen in A Chatham Conversation . He was also part of the ensemble for All About Eve at the Noel Coward Theatre. Most recently he played George Gershwin in a musical showcase of Rhapsody in Blue.

Corrina McDermott trained at Birmingham Theatre School in 1990’s where she gained a Diploma in acting and obtained the Guildhall School of Music and Drama Solo Acting Achievement Award.  She also has a BA Hons. in Drama and Performance from the University of Worcester.

Corrina’s most recent roles include playing Scrooge in ‘A Christmas Carol’ with Grove Productions, The Woman in ‘One Night’ written and directed by Christopher Swann, Nurse in ‘Romeo and Juliet’ with Worcester Rep, The Commander in Up in the Blue written and directed by Christopher Swann, Susan in Abigail’s Party directed by Naomi Coleman and Cheryl Dunne in BBC’s ‘Doctors’. Corrina has played a number of Shakespearean roles and has toured nationally.

RANDY SMARTNICK

Randy studied and trained at the Concordia College Conservatory of Music, Moorhead MN, with a BM in Music Education, and a BA in Theatre Performance. He works freelance as an actor, director, choreographer, production manager, and stage manager in London and southern Wales. He also works as a lighting designer, as well as a set designer, builder, and painter.

Previous notable roles in musicals and opera include Judas (Jesus Christ Superstar), The Baker (Into the Woods), The Balladeer (Assassins), Jesus (Godspell), Archibald Craven (The Secret Garden), Michaelo (CarMEN), and Mime (Das Rheingold).

Randy is thrilled to be a part of this production. After assistant directing ‘One Night’ in Birmingham, and ‘Up in the Blue’ in Benson, he is excited to help bring the final play of Christopher Swann’s trilogy to the stage!