Cast Announced For RETROGRADE at the Kiln Theatre

With Zadie Smith's The Wife of Willesden about to transfer to the US, Kiln Theatre has announced the full cast for the world première of Ryan Calais Cameron's new play based on a true event in the life of actor Sidney Poitier in 1950s Hollywood - Ian Bonar (Bobby), Ivanno Jeremiah (Sidney), and Daniel Lapaine (Mr Parks).

From the writer of the award-winning, smash hit For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, Retrograde will be directed by Kiln Associate Director Amit Sharma.

The production will open at the Kiln Theatre on 26 April, with previews from 20 April, and will run until 27 May 2023.

Amit Sharma said today: "Just when I thought I couldn't be more energised about working on Retrograde along come the stellar talents that are Ivanno, Daniel and Ian. I cannot wait to get started!"

Kiln Theatre presents

RETROGRADE

By Ryan Calais Cameron

20 April - 27 May 2023

Press Night 26 April

Directed by Amit Sharma; Designed by Frankie Bradshaw; Lighting Design by Amy Mae;

Sound Design by Beth Duke; Casting by Juliet Horsley CDG; Kiln-Mackintosh Resident Assistant Director Jessica Mensah

The Golden Age of Hollywood. Behind closed doors, aspiring actor Sidney Poitier is offered a lucrative contract that could make him a superstar. But what is he willing to sacrifice?

From the writer of award-winning, sold-out, For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, Ryan Calais Cameron's explosive new play explores identity, resilience, and integrity as it examines a true event in 1950s Hollywood and the reality of a Black actor's journey to stardom.

Directed by Kiln Associate Director Amit Sharma (The Boy with Two Hearts, Then Barbara Met Alan), this world premiere explores a moment in a career which paved ways and changed perceptions, cementing the legacy of a Hollywood icon. Retrograde asks the question; how much have we really evolved?

Ian Bonar plays Bobby. His theatre credits include Death of a Salesman (Young Vic and West End), Ma Vie en Rose (Young Vic), Jellyfish (Bush Theatre), Be Prepared (Edinburgh Festival Fringe/VAULT Festival), Arden of Faversham, The Witch of Edmonton, The Roaring Girl (RSC), The Blackest Black (Hampstead Theatre), Brilliant Adventures (Royal Exchange Theatre), Me as a Penguin (Arcola Theatre), and DNA and The Miracle (National Theatre). His television credits include Deadline, I May Destroy You, Damilola: Our Loved Boy, New Blood, Southcliffe, Black Mirror, Holy Flying Circus, and Going Postal; and for film, Interlude in Prague, Spectre, Skyfall, Kon-Tiki, Starter for 10, 1234, Atonement, and How to Lose Friends & Alienate People.

Ivanno Jeremiah plays Sidney. For theatre, his credits include Constellations (Donmar West End), The Convert, Measure for Measure (Young Vic), A Soldier's Tale (City of London Sinfonia), The Nether, truth and reconciliation (Royal Court Theatre), Julius Caesar (RSC), The Suit (international tour), Welcome Home (Pleasance), and As You Like It (West Yorkshire Playhouse). For television, his work includes, Lockwood & Co, A Discovery of Witches, Cold Feet, Counterpart, Humans, Black Mirror, Doctor Who, Injustice, The Jury, and The Hollow Crown - Richard II; and for film, Woken, The Flood, Bees Make Honey, Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool, Julius Caesar, and The Veteran.

Daniel Lapaine returns to Kiln Theatre to play Mr Parks - he previously appeared in Holy Sh*t and The Invisible Hand. His other theatre credits include The Merchant of Venice (Shakespeare's Globe), Other Desert Cities, Hedda Gabler (The Old Vic), The Winter's Tale (Sheffield Crucible), The Dance of Death (Donmar Trafalgar), All My Sons (Apollo Theatre), Scenes from the Back of Beyond, F***ing Games (Royal Court), Les Parents Terribles, King Lear (Sydney Theatre Company), Island (Belvoir Street Theatre), Romeo and Juliet, Richard III, Hamlet (Bell Shakespeare Company). For television his work includes Upright, Van der Valk, My Husband's Double Life, Black Mirror, The Durrells, Versailles, Catastrophe, Critical, Vexed, Lewis, Vera, Black Mirror, Identity, Moonshot, Hotel Babylon; Sex, the City and Me; Jane Hall, Good Housekeeping Guide, Golden Hour, Jericho, Death on the Nile, Redcap, Helen of Troy, I Saw You and Tenth Kingdom. Film credits include Dead in Tombstone, Zero Dark Thirty, Gozo, Jack the Giant Killer, Shanghai, Last Chance Harvey, Collusion, Abduction Club, Ritual, Journeyman, Double Jeopardy, Elephant Juice, Brokedown Palace, 54, Say You'll Be Mine, 1999, Dangerous Beauty, Polish Wedding and Muriel's Wedding.

Ryan Calais Cameron's plays include For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy (Nouveau Riche/Boundless/New Diorama/Royal Court Theatre - Black British Theatre Awards 2022 - Best Production Play Award, he was the winner of Best Director Award alongside Tristan Fynn-Aiduenu, and also joint-winner of Best Performer in a Play at 2022 Stage Debut Awards), Living Newspaper, My White Best Friend (and Other Letters Left Unsaid), (Royal Court Theatre), Human Nurture (Theatre Centre/Crucible, Sheffield/UK tour), Queens of Sheba [co-writer] (Nouveau Riche/Edinburgh Festival Fringe/New Diorama/UK tour -  Edinburgh Untapped Award, The Stage Edinburgh Award, Offie Award for Best Performance Piece), Typical (Nouveau Riche/Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Soho Theatre), Rhapsody (Arcola Theatre - Off West End Adopt A Playwright Award), and Timbuktu (Black Lives Black Words Festival, Bush/Theatre Royal, Stratford East). He is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Nouveau Riche Theatre Company.

Associate Director of Kiln Theatre, Amit Sharma is an award-winning theatre and television director.

Amit trained with Missing Piece 1 (Graeae Theatre Company). Work in theatre includes The Boy with Two Hearts (National Theatre / Wales Millennium Centre); One Under and The Solid Life of Sugar Water (also at The National Theatre) for Graeae and Theatre Royal Plymouth; Aruna and the Raging Sun for Graeae, the British Council, India and La Fura Dels Baus as part of UK/India Year of Culture 2017; Cosmic Scallies for Graeae and the Royal Exchange, Manchester; Iron Man for Graeae on UK and international tour; Prometheus Awakes for Graeae, Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, Stockton International Riverside Festival and La Fura Dels Baus, as part of London 2012 Festival. TV includes Then Barbara Met Alan (Winner Best Single Drama Programme, Broadcast Awards 2023), Hamish (Prix d'Italia winner, part of BAFTA-nominated Criptales season) and Thunderbox (part of BAFTA-nominated Criptales season). He was previously Deputy Artistic Director of Birmingham Rep, Associate Artistic Director at the Royal Exchange, Manchester and Associate Director at Graeae Theatre Company.

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