Retrograde dramatises a little known piece of history in the early career of actor Sidney Poitier. An important meeting that took place early in Sidney's timeline. Poitier would later become a trailblazer in African American activism and be the first black actor to win an Oscar.
In this 90 minute one act play we are in 1950's New York and Sidney is about to get his big break. He believes he has a meeting with NBC to sign contracts on a career making movie role where he can play the lead away from any stereotypes that had been projected on him as a black actor. Unfortunately NBC has other plans.
Sidney (Ivanno Jeremiah) thinks he is making a quick visit to sign his new employment contract. He's greeted by aspiring screenwriter Bobby (Oliver Johnstone) and NBC big boss Larry Parks (Stanley Townsend). Bobby believes he's written a radical new piece that could shoot him and starring man Sidney to great heights. The talk almost immediately gets uncomfortable and politeness fades away. Soon Parks is pushing Sidney to drink, asking him questions he doesn't want to answer and forcing him to perform in his birth given Bajan accent.
Once alone Parks turns the meeting agenda upside down. Parks grills Sidney on his affiliation with communist and activist leaders such as Martin Luther King and Harry Belafonte. Sidney quickly feels betrayal realising that he has been set up by NBC and the FBI.
Parks orders Sidney to sign a loyalty oath to upkeep the NBC "American values reputation" and end his associations with “politically unacceptable persons". He also demands Sidney make a public statement denouncing any support for celebrity entertainer and activist Paul Robeson who he greatly admired. Sidney initially refuses to agree to this only to find out if he doesn't he will be black listed from the industry and potentially risking jail time. Or as Parks viciously puts it "black-black listed".
The 90 minutes are a rewarding slow burn on Frankie Bradshaw's office set. Ivanno Jeremiah delivers a compelling and complex performance, a dignified man without power trying to find the right answers. Jeremiah keeps the audience hooked on his every word as he reasons with his pride. He offers quick pacing, faces of betrayal and a stifling rage that fills the stage. We of course know what Sidney Poitier chose to do and the price he paid, but the tension of the play hinges on the "will he won't he" whilst Parks tries to bully him into submission.
Oliver Johnstone brings a light hearted but earnest Bobby to the stage and we see him convincingly grapple between his morals and career. The play delves further than status but also into white saviorism, performative activism and race related friendships.
Stanley Townsend is believable as a calculated and sinister industry gatekeeper. His ability to charm the audience is as impressive as repulsing us. Although his character has a lot of dialogue, we are missing some background - perhaps this is intentional as he represents the bigger picture.
Amit Sharma truly has his finger on the pulse of the writing and we never lose pace, its nail biting stuff as the clock loudly ticks on the wall. The final speech from Sidney Poitier reminds us how important decisions like this are and how important they will be.
It runs until 14 June. Tickets: here.
Review: Nicola Botha Photos: Marc Brenner