★★★★★
“Whose truth? Yours, or mine?”
Melbourne Theatre Company’s Retrograde is an interrogation room; a stifling, claustrophobic attack on art and morality. Brought into question are Sidney, a young, Black actor on the rise and Bobby, an eager screenwriter, both under the scrutiny of Mr Parks, who rules with an iron fist.
Retrograde takes place over one meeting on a hot New York City day in 1950s America. Bobby is under the impression he’s about to get his friend Sidney the lead role in his new feature for NBC. Sidney arrives, excited to undertake a role that isn’t ‘servant’, ‘slave’ or an empty shell moulded into what white directors expect a Black character to be. Mr Parks is the barrier to all of this.
The play is about race, power, politics, control and where art sits amongst it all. Artfully directed by Bert LaBonté, with an exceptional script by Ryan Calais Cameron, Retrograde is built on tension, sold by incredible performances and delivered to the audience in a way that forces you to reflect.
I first learnt about McCarthyism in high school history whilst studying Civil Rights and the Cold War, but this was further expanded upon when I got to film school. Studying the Red Scare through the lens of film and TV put this all into context with me; McCarthyism was the threat of censorship. Understanding the power of blacklisting, the Hayes Code and the chokehold Hollywood had in attempting to control the narrative was terrifying to me.
A play like Retrograde is the perfect vessel to digest these ideas further. Boiling large political concepts down to three men: the enforcer, the swing vote and the target. What’s powerful about this play is that the target, being Sidney, turns out to be a disruptor or challenger, the voice they can’t stifle.
The performances in this show are magnetic. Donné Ngabo is utterly captivating. His performance as Sidney is as devastating as it is empowering. His monologue confronting the ‘angry Black man’ stereotype gave me goosebumps, his pain palpable and deeply moving. He steals the show, which is perfect because it’s his story to tell.
His moral conflict in tearing down one man to elevate himself is heartbreaking and he wears his heart on his sleeve throughout his whole performance, despite the character trying his best to hide it at times.
Josh McConville as Bobby balances the character’s selfishness and ambition with his ideological confliction with ease. For a character whose murky and fluid morality should be annoying, McConville plays him with such charm that you, as the audience, are still rooting for him and believe him to make the right decision in the end.
Alan Dale plays a perfect villain as Mr Parks. With quick wit crammed full of one-liners, he’s the lawyer with an answer for everything. His experience within the industry is unquestionable, with his unflinching, narrowed eyes and blunt disposition.
Zoe Rouse’s set and costume design is exquisite. A beautiful, warm-paletted, midcentury office pairs neatly with the greys and beige hues of Bobby and Mr Parks costumes and serves to make Sidney’s deep maroon suit and yellow jacket stand out visually. It’s an indication that this space was not built with him in mind.
Rachel Lee’s lighting design, with Jethro Woodard’s sound and score, crafts a beautiful world. One of my favourite moments in the show is when Sidney turns on the charm for Mr Parks like he’s running through a stand-up set.
Sidney takes centre stage with a spotlight, a neon red sign for ‘APPLAUSE’ lighting up intermittently, paired with a snappy jazz soundscape, spinning his difficult acting journey into entertainment for the white men waiting to be charmed by him.
Retrograde is a powerful, extraordinarily relevant show brimming with talent. It questions the motives of those in charge of the stories we tell and shines a light on the power of holding onto your truth and values. Fuelled by a scintillating script and impeccable performances, Retrograde is funny, cruel and important.
Retrograde is presented by Melbourne Theatre Company and runs to 27 June. Fairfax Studio, Arts Centre Melbourne, 100 St Kilda Rd, Southbank Vic 3004.
Tickets: https://www.mtc.com.au/plays-and-tickets/whats-on/season-2026/retrograde
Website: https://www.mtc.com.au/
Socials: https://www.instagram.com/melbtheatreco/
Photo credits: Sarah Walker
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