Matthew Xia’s production of the musical will play at the theatre from the 16th May until the 4th July.
Lead casting has now been announced for the London return of reggae musical The Harder They Come, which will officially open at Stratford East on the 21st May.
Based on the cult Jamaican film produced and directed by Perry Henzell and co-written with Trevor Rhone, it has been confirmed that Natey Jones (Titus Andronicus, RSC; Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical, West End) reprises his role as Ivan and Madeline Charlemagne (Hadestown, West End; The Secret Life of Bees, Almeida Theatre) also returns as Elsa until 6th June, sharing the role with Chanice Alexander-Burnett (The Third Man, Menier Chocolate Factory, Les Misérables, West End), who will take over as Elsa from 8th June. Further casting will be announced soon.
The Harder They Come tells the story of Ivan, an aspiring singer who arrives in Kingston, Jamaica, determined to live out his dreams on his own terms and make it as a music superstar.
After cutting a record deal with a manipulative music mogul, Ivan learns that the game is rigged and becomes increasingly defiant. As his star rises, he finds himself topping the charts and the most-wanted list of criminals.
This staging of the seminal film features a soundtrack with brand-new songs by Suzan-Lori Parks alongside classics by Desmond Dekker and Toots and the Maytals,
plus Jimmy Cliff hits including “You Can Get It If You Really Want” and “Many Rivers to
Cross.”
Talking about the news, Matthew Xia, Director, said: “There’s something rare about bringing a show like this back to the building where it belongs. This is a piece that lives in the exchange between the stage and audience – a summer reggae party driven by Jimmy Cliff’s music, the energy of this fantastic company, and the people in the room with us each night.”
The creative team behind the show also includes: Simon Kenny (Set Designer), Jessica Cabassa (Costume Designer), Shelley Maxwell (Choreographer & Intimacy Director), Ciarán Cunningham (Lighting Designer), Tony Gayle (Live Sound Designer), Nicola T. Chang (Sound Designer – Sound Effects & Soundscape), Ashton Moore (Music Supervisor & Vocal Arrangements), Benjamin Kwasi Burrell (Orchestrator and Music Arrangements), Luke Bacchus (Musical Director), Gino Ricardo Green (Video Designer), Heather Basten CDG (Casting Director), Emily Aboud (Associate Director), Dominique Hamilton (Wigs, Hair & Makeup Designer & Supervisor), Neisha-yen Jones (Associate Choreographer), Claire Llewellyn for RC Annie (Fight Director), Aundrea Fudge (Voice and Dialect Coach), and Justine Henzell (Creative and Cultural Consultant).
To book tickets visit: https://www.stratfordeast.com/whats-on/all-shows/the-harder-they-come