Swept Away

Book by John Logan

Music and Lyrics by The Avett Brothers

Directed by Jeremy Johnson

Speakeasy Stage

April 24 – May 23, 2026

Well before opera demanded that larger than life figures sing continuously to exorcise their emotions, before Broadway portrayed how ordinary folk could not help but break into song, people sang. Oppressed people. Working people. Slaves and millworkers and sailors. Gospels and anthems and shanties. Long and loud, in wondrous harmony. Unlike stage performers, they did not sing because their emotions frenzied beyond words. They sang because the conditions of their lives were so horrific, singing provided refuge from their drudgery and pain.

These musings occupied my head throughout Speakeasy Stage’s perfect production of Swept Away. Swept Away is inspired by the story of the Mignonette, a British ship that sank in route to Australia in 1884, resulting in four crew being stranded on a lifeboat, from which only three survived. The play recasts those events to a New Bedford sailing ship in the waning days of whaling, a setting that better suits The Avett Brothers’ catchy tunes. That these sailors sing, as a way to loiter doldrum time, or ease the burden of their work, or to redirect their fear, makes solid sense.

Speakeasy’s production is captivating from start to finish. The set is simple yet effective, with tall masts punctuating the deck of ship at sea, or toppled upon the wreck. A sheer net, sometimes sail, sometimes porous border between the quick and dead, allows spirits lost to the depths to haunt those still alive. The four principal actors: Peter DiMaggio as Mate; Christopher Chew as Captain; Max Connor as Little Brother; Bishop Levesque as Big Brother are all excellent, with strong singing voices. The ensemble crew of six hearty souls plus the remarkable Ezra Quinlan climbing the rigging with aerial grace, provide the foundational heft the score and story deserve. When the entire ensemble sings, the sound is glorious. When they tackle Ilyse Robbins tricky choreography, the visual delight is splendid.

Swept Away’s main shortcoming is the play’s puzzling plot points. If Little Brother runs away to seek adventure, why he is so fixated on the girl he’s left behind (aside from giving Max Connor opportunity to sing fine ballads)? And if Big Brother is so responsible as to run Little Brother down, there’s no credence to his becoming an unintentional stowaway. Worst of all plot inconsistencies is the retribution that Mate feels from what transpires in the lifeboat. Peter DiMaggio is incredible at portraying this conniving, morally bankrupt character. No way do I believe he suffers years of remorse for what he does to stay alive. Still, where the plot needs to serve up maximum trauma, it delivers. No spoiler alert here, but the climax of the plot is simultaneously unexpected yet completely satisfying.

These minor chinks in Swept Away are baked into the play, whereas Speakeasy’s production is truly flawless. Every foot stomp, every aerial maneuver, every spoken line, and vocalized longing is beautifully executed. Director Johnson organizes the ship’s deck or the dinghy’s cramped hull as a tableau; visually unifying, yet ultimately terrifying. Go see this gorgeous show. Listen to the crew’s glorious song, and hear the ache of human tragedy within.