Announced today – the West End transfer of the Kiln Theatre’s acclaimed production of Retrograde by Ryan Calais Cameron (For Black Boys…)
Starring Ivanno Jeremiah who reprises the role of Hollywood icon Sidney Poitier. Joining him as his protagonist Mr Parks is Stanley Townsend (Kaos, Netflix; The Normal Heart, National Theatre) and Oliver Johnstone (Antigone, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre; All My Sons, The Old Vic) as writer Bobby.
The production, directed by the Kiln Theatre’s Artistic Director Amit Sharma, begins performances at the Apollo Theatre for a strictly limited run playing from 8 March until 14 June 2025.
Sidney Poitier: outstanding actor, trail blazer, activist, icon. The first black artist to win an Oscar for Best Actor.
Ryan Calais Cameron’s gripping thriller captures the moment when a young Sidney Poitier is about to sign a career-defining Hollywood contract that could make him a star. But there’s a catch. Will he put his career before his principles? In a time of betrayals, will he name names? Will he sign his life away?
Retrograde follows Ryan’s smash West End hit For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy – so good it sold out twice – first at the Apollo in 2023, returning swiftly by public demand to the Garrick in 2024.
Joining director Amit Sharma are Frankie Bradshaw (Set and Costume Designer), Amy Mae (Lighting Designer), Beth Duke (Sound Designer) and Juliet Horsley CDG (Casting Director).
Ryan Calais Cameron said today, “I’m absolutely thrilled to see Retrograde take its next step onto the West End stage. This play holds a deeply personal resonance for me as a writer. Sidney Poitier’s journey — his courage, conviction, and the weight of the choices he faced — is not just his story; it’s a reflection of the challenges and dilemmas many of us still navigate today. I can’t wait for audiences at the Apollo Theatre to join us in this moment of reflection, urgency, and ultimately, celebration.”
Access Performances:
BSL: Friday 18 April, 7.30pm
Captioned: Saturday 26 April, 2.30pm
Audio Described: Saturday 3 May, 7.30pm
