Retrograde - Kiln

[alessia]

Has anyone seen this? I'm going next week and now that reviews are coming out, I look forward to it, sounds really good. I've never been to the Kiln before. Some 4 and 5 stars...

[cavocado]

Apr 27, 2023 13:21:37 GMT alessia said:

Has anyone seen this? I'm going next week and now that reviews are coming out, I look forward to it, sounds really good. I've never been to the Kiln before. Some 4 and 5 stars...

I've just booked it for later in May, based on the reviews. I like the Kiln - a nice theatre and friendly staff. 

[bwayboy22]

I saw it last night. Thought it was fantastic. Very engaging. Excellent performances. Gripping story. This seems worthy of a transfer to the West End. Highly recommend.

[Steve]

I thought it was great at the matinee this afternoon.

It comes on like a middle ranking Mamet play, with 3 men acting masculine and trying to establish themselves at the top of the pecking order by saying pithy and provocative masculine things, but then it's lifted a little by the topics it covers, and then it's lifted a whole LOT more by a peerless characterisation of, and performance by Ivanno Jeremiah, of the actor Sidney Poitier. Jeremiah is convincing, composed, committed and commanding and gives an emotive must-see level performance.

Some spoilers follow. . .

The topics covered are race and McCarthyism, both of which are designed to exert levels of control over Poitier's behaviour, despite the fact he's the best at what he does, and deserves better.

All three actors in this three-hander are on form, have zinging moments, and zing off each other nicely, but it's Jeremiah's Poitier that entrances.

There is a speech Ryan Calais Cameron writes, and which Jeremiah outstandingly delivers, about the exhaustion and exasperation he experiences at being forced to be endlessly "treading lightly," to avoid career cancellation, that was so terrific I was fighting back tears.

And this touches on what in this play is topical: whether such cancellation is ever appropriate (should the crap that Daniel Lapaine's racist and red-baiting lawyer is spouting get him cancelled, for instance?), to what degree should artists be forced to reveal their political affiliations and ideas, and what if they do?

These latter topics aren't particularly well explored, but the Mamet style dialogue is punchy, and Ivanno Jeremiah is unmissable as Poitier, his fear, desperation and rage subsumed into an unpredictable and commanding stage stillness that had me on tenterhooks.

4 stars from me.

[alessia]

Loved this last night. The writing is impeccable and the acting just on point, particularly Ivanno Jeremiah. In my ignorance I didn't know anything about the real events that inspired the play so I feel I have also learned something. Worth the trip to Kilburn where I'd never been before- the Kiln also really nice as a venue. Agree with above review from Steve and in particular the excellent point he makes about cancellation.

[zahidf]

Great play and wonderful performances

[david]

Having seen this tonight I will say if you haven’t already booked for this do so. For me it’s a 5⭐️ show (with a standing ovation at the end) from start to finish and a nice 90 minute straight through so an early finish to boot. It’s a fantastic piece of writing from Ryan Calais Cameron that is brought to life by the 3 guys on stage who have great on stage chemistry. Ivanno Jeremiah’s performance as Sidney is quite honestly worth the ticket price alone. He completely owns the stage and his delivery of a speech near the end is just powerful stuff to watch and delivers a real acting masterclass.

It’s a real engaging and thought provoking piece of theatre that also provides a nice history lesson about the events and attitudes of the US at that time. Quite honestly the Kiln have got a gem of a show with this one and I’ll be disappointed if nobody picks this up for a transfer to the WE. It certainly deserves a life post the Kiln run.

[zahidf]

May 9, 2023 22:34:25 GMT david said:

Having seen this tonight I will say if you haven’t already booked for this do so. For me it’s a 5⭐️ show (with a standing ovation at the end) from start to finish and a nice 90 minute straight through so an early finish to boot. It’s a fantastic piece of writing from Ryan Calais Cameron that is brought to life by the 3 guys on stage who have great on stage chemistry. Ivanno Jeremiah’s performance as Sidney is quite honestly worth the ticket price alone. He completely owns the stage and his delivery of a speech near the end is just powerful stuff to watch and delivers a real acting masterclass.

It’s a real engaging and thought provoking piece of theatre that also provides a nice history lesson about the events and attitudes of the US at that time. Quite honestly the Kiln have got a gem of a show with this one and I’ll be disappointed if nobody picks this up for a transfer to the WE. It certainly deserves a life post the Kiln run.

I was thinking maybe theatre Royal haymarket now they are doing short run plays

[joem]

Managed to catch this tonight before it finished. Very good writing - some lines were laugh out loud but also strong emotional stuff - and acting, and an interesting, illuminating analysis of an important episode in the fight against racism in the US entertainment industry. My one quibble is that it could easily have been a radio play, it was fairly static and the action did little to inform on the dialogue. But a very worthy (in the right sense of the word) work.

[cavocado]

I was also there last night and really enjoyed this. Engaging, intelligently-written, thought-provoking, sometimes very funny, and a terrific central performance from Ivanno Jeremiah. It deserves a wider audience.

[Rory]

I have been keeping an eye out for a transfer of this play but no joy so far! I wonder if the Evening Standard nomination for best play might give it a new impetus.