Retrograde Tickets

SIDNEY POITIER: TRAILBLAZER, ACTIVIST, ICON

'The finest new play about a pivotal moment in civil rights history' The Telegraph

Following its sold out run at the Kiln Theatre, Ryan Calais Cameron's 'electrifying' (Evening Standard) Retrograde comes to the Apollo Theatre for a strictly limited run. Ten years before he becomes the first Black man to win the Oscar for Best Actor, this gripping drama captures the moment a young Sidney Poitier prepares 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?

Inspired by real events, this 'exceptional' (The Guardian) play directed by the Kiln Theatre's Artistic Director Amit Sharma, features Ivanno Jeremiah (Constellations) reprising his 'tremendous' (Time Out) performance as Sidney Poitier, opposite Stanley Townsend (Netflix's Kaos) and Oliver Johnstone (Antigone).

Retrograde follows Ryan's smash hit 'modern masterpiece' (The Sunday Times)?For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy - so good it sold out twice - cementing his place as 'one of theatre’s most thrilling voices' (Independent).

Important Information

Booking Period: 8 March - 15 June 2025

Performance Times: Wednesday - Saturday 2.30pm & 7.30pm and Sunday 2pm & 7pm

Access Performances:

BSL

Friday 18 April 7.30pm

Captioned

Saturday 26 April 2.30pm

Audio Described

Saturday 3 May 7.30pm

Running Time: 90 minutes (no interval)

Age Recommendation: 14 and over

Venue: Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7EZ