Review: Retrograde, Apollo Theatre - a witty and tense watch
22/03/2025
Ryan Calais Cameron's play Retrograde is set in 1950s Hollywood when a twenty-something struggling actor, Sidney Poitier (Ivanno Jeremiah), is on the verge of signing a deal with a film studio.
Peppy young writer Bobby (Oliver Johnstone) is on his last chance and has a great part for Sidney, one that is different from the usual, stereotypical roles set aside for black actors.
Lawyer and fixer Mr Parks (Stanley Townsend) has the contract that could launch both of them but before Sidney signs it, there are terms attached.
Retrograde might be set 70-odd years ago but there is a lot that resonates today, particularly with what is going on over the pond.
Back then, alongside racial segregation, it was a time of fear, when those who didn't believe and endorse the 'right' things weren't only ostracised, but their careers were crushed by blacklisting, and they could potentially end up in jail.
McCarthyism made it the Wild West of chosen morals, and personal beliefs could not be separated from the ability to do certain jobs.
Taking the right stance for people and businesses was everything–or suffer the consequences. Sound familiar?
Sidney wouldn't just be signing a studio contract, he'd be signing a political statement that serves more than just the studio.
When Mr Parks says, "I refuse to be anyone's slave", it is just one of the many sharp ironies in Ryan Calais Cameron's witty and razor-sharp script.
The initial opening scene is a slightly slow build-up to Poitier's arrival, but when he does, it feels like the breaks are off. Ivanno Jeremiah gives a powerhouse performance as the man facing a life-changing decision.
The internal battle as he grapples with the potential consequences of his action is written all over his face.
Stanley Townsend makes a masterful manipulator as Mr Parks and Oliver Johnstone ably supports as the friend who is tested.
The play asks important questions about, not least, what would you sacrifice to maintain your integrity.
Retrograde sold out when it opened at the Kiln Theatre last year, and this is a much-deserved West End run. It is a tense, gripping and thought-provoking watch. I'm giving it ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.
Retrograde, Apollo Theatre
Written by Ryan Calais Cameron
Directed by Amit Sharma
Starring Ivanno Jeremiah, Stanley Townsend and Oliver Johnstone
Running time: 90 minutes without an interval.
Booking until 14 June 2025; for more information and to buy tickets, visit the Apollo Theatre website.
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