Tag Archives: Beth Duke

RETROGRADE

★★★★

Apollo Theatre

RETROGRADE

Apollo Theatre

★★★★

“the tension is expertly paced, punctuated with sharp quips and well-timed barbs that keep the drama crackling”

Ryan Calais Cameron’s Retrograde is a taut and electrifying drama that captures a pivotal moment in Sidney Poitier’s career and moral journey. It’s the mid-1950s, and Poitier is on the cusp of stardom. But, his breakout performance in Blackboard Jungle has brought him not only industry attention, but an altogether more sinister political attention. Now, on the verge of signing with New York-based TV network NBC, he faces a career-defining choice: sign a loyalty oath and make a public statement denouncing civil rights activist Paul Robeson or risk blacklisting.

This gripping three-hander, based in truth, stars Ivanno Jeremiah as Sidney Poitier, Oliver Johnstone as his friend Bobby, a white liberal screenwriter who has written a role for him, and Stanley Townsend as Parks, NBC’s ruthless lawyer who demands Poitier sign the oath. As Bobby and Poitier’s friendship is tested, both men must confront how much they are willing to sacrifice for career advancement. Self-interest begins to outweigh principles, and the stakes for all three characters become ever more apparent.

The play runs for 90 minutes without an interval, unfolding in real time as Poitier arrives for what he believes will be a straightforward contract signing. Bobby has been singing Poitier’s praises to Parks, but when Poitier enters, it quickly becomes clear that this is no ordinary meeting. When Bobby is asked to leave, and Parks and Poitier are left alone, the pressure intensifies. Parks reveals that this is not merely about a contract, Poitier must prove that this “Black-Black” actor from the Caribbean upholds “American values.” Their exchange is a harrowing power play, laying bare the racial and political tensions of the era.

Under Amit Sharma’s direction, the tension is expertly paced, punctuated with sharp quips and well-timed barbs that keep the drama crackling. Sharma ensures the psychological and moral dilemmas remain at the forefront. Moments of stillness land as powerfully as the play’s most charged exchanges, often lingering just long enough to make the next verbal moment of levity or cutting blow hit even harder.

Jeremiah delivers a magnetic performance, shifting from an unemployed actor forced to entertain white gatekeepers to a principled man refusing to compromise. Johnstone’s Bobby, brimming with nervous charm, subtly unravels as the tension escalates, his affability giving way to desperation. Townsend, on stage for most of the play, dominates as Parks, embodying cold, relentless pragmatism.

Frankie Bradshaw’s set design enhances the claustrophobic atmosphere. The single setting (a stark, mid-century NBC studio office) is both period-accurate and symbolically oppressive. A subtle but telling touch is a Notorious (1946) film poster on the office wall. Hitchcock’s thriller, centred on espionage and moral compromise, quietly reflects Poitier’s predicament. A prominent clock runs in real time, its ticking growing louder at key moments, reinforcing the inescapable pressure on Poitier, a subtle but effective auditory cue from sound designer Beth Duke. The play opens with period jazz and sound bites referencing Poitier’s growing reputation – significantly, voices of others commenting on him – making the final audio recording, in his own voice, all the more poignant.

Bradshaw’s costume design is equally thoughtful. Poitier’s outfit, a somewhat garish, ill-fitting mix of burgundy and burnt orange, feels out of place, making him appear exoticised beside the grey-suited establishment figures of Parks and Bobby, visually reinforcing the power imbalance. Lighting by Amy Mae plays a crucial role in shaping the mood. Stark, interrogative lighting casts deep shadows, reinforcing the feeling of entrapment. Subtle shifts in lighting reflect the evolving power struggle.

With Retrograde, Ryan Calais Cameron has crafted a play that not only honours Sidney Poitier’s legacy but also speaks powerfully to the present day. The dilemmas Poitier faced – navigating a system that demanded assimilation at the cost of authenticity – still ring true for many actors of colour today.



RETROGRADE

Apollo Theatre

Reviewed on 20th March 2025

by Ellen Cheshire

Photography by Marc Brenner

 

 


 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

FAWLTY TOWERS THE PLAY | ★★★★★ | May 2024
MIND MANGLER | ★★★★ | March 2024
THE TIME TRAVELLER’S WIFE | ★★★ | November 2023
POTTED PANTO | ★★★★★ | December 2022
CRUISE | ★★★★★ | August 2022
MONDAY NIGHT AT THE APOLLO | ★★★½ | May 2021

 

RETROGRADE

RETROGRADE

RETROGRADE

HASBIAN

★★★★

Omnibus Theatre

HASBIAN at the Omnibus Theatre

★★★★

“This is an impressive play with real heart”

Has-bian. Slang for someone who ‘was’ a lesbian. But what does that really mean? Society’s understanding of sexual (and gender) identity has become more fluid in recent years. The binary of gay or straight is being rejected by many in favour of more nuanced definitions that attempt to capture the breadth of human experience. It is these issues that Beth Watson (writer/performer) and P Burton-Morgan (director) explores in their solo performance named after the aforementioned insult in the amusing format of reading from their teenage diary.

The diary – blue, with an ‘emo’ tear drop on the front cover – is typically adolescent. The drama that Beth and their gang of misfits – all reimagined as stars from 90s romcoms – drink straight vodka at parties, worry about their GCSEs, and have the utmost faith that their teenage relationships will end in marriage. At the same time, the pages reveal an almost liberating acceptance of queerness. Beth – at the age of 14 – talks openly about lesbian sex, enjoying a fling with best friend Lindsay (Lohan). The friends compliment each other by saying they look ‘dykey’ and attending the Brighton pride parade is an annual tradition.

Sadly, over the diary’s two-year span, this young, unashamed joy is slowly eroded as the reality of homophobia and the effects of policies such as Section 28 take hold. The group pretends to be ‘normal’ – aka straight – at sleepovers and Beth wills themself to fancy the dreamy boy-next-door Ashton (Kutcher). In one particularly poignant moment, the young Beth describes life as looking out of two windows – one dirty (queer) and one clean (straight) – and never quite connecting to either. Beth also touches on the negative influence of their childhood movies like Cruel Intentions which present sex and relationships as transactional and someone’s worth tied to their ‘fuckability’.

The space is simply dressed with two benches on which Beth sits and lies. The narrative is aided by four red shoes – all Beth’s own – that are placed around the stage. First, red jelly shoes – representative of Beth pre-puberty. Next, red Reebok Classics – indicative of Beth’s desire to fit in with their peers. Thirdly, red Doc Marten boots with bedazzled toes – showing Beth’s pride. And, finally, red stiletto heels – symbolic of the traditional femininity to which Beth feels the pressure to conform.

At the back of the stage are two surfaces shaped like binder notebooks on which images and quotes from Beth’s diary are projected (Edalia Day). This is highly effective and provides significant visual interest throughout the performance. The text is stylised – depending on the tone and nature of what Beth has written – and the photo editing is terrific.

The show does a great job at integrating accessibility into its performance. Captions are available throughout, audio description by Quiplash UK is used to describe the action on stage, and the various people that Beth discusses all have a sound bite from a famous movie to indicate their arrival on screen. At times, the latter does upset the storytelling flow, but it is a small price to pay for the worthwhile endeavour.

Hasbian is a very vulnerable show. Reading out one’s teenage diary would be most people’s worst nightmare and it is commendable that Beth is so open about the complicated – and rather embarrassing – feelings inside. This is an impressive play with real heart – it is definitely worth a watch.


HASBIAN at the Omnibus Theatre

Reviewed on 26th June 2024

by Flora Doble

Photography © Queer Diary

 

 


 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

COMPOSITOR E | ★★★ | September 2023

hasbian

hasbian

Click here to see our Recommended Shows page