The Harder They Come tours to Salford, 22 June

Screen-to-stage Reggae musical The Harder They Come,
which began life at Stratford East in 2006, has being revived for a
national tour and arrives at the Lowry later this month (22-26 June
2010).

The show, which had a West End run at the Playhouse Theatre in 2008 (See News,
9 May 2008), is based on the 1972 film that starred Jimmy Cliff and
introduced reggae to a worldwide audience. It tells the story of young
singer Ivan Martin who heads to Kingston in Jamaica with dreams of
becoming a reggae star, but the harsh reality of the music scene drives
him to a fast and furious life as an outlaw.

The stage
version – written by Perry Henzell, the co-writer, director and
producer of the original film, who died in 2006 –  features songs from
the original film soundtrack, including “You Can Get It If You Really
Want”, “Higher and Higher”, “Many Rivers to Cross” and “Rivers of
Babylon”, accompanied by a live reggae band.

The new tour
features original cast members Victor Romero Evans, Marlon King, Chris
Tummings, Joy Mack and Derek Elroy alongside Matt Henry in the central
role of Ivan.

Presented by UK Arts International in association with Nottingham Playhouse, The Harder They Come arrives at the Lowry from 22 June, whilst in the smaller Quays Theatre, another Stratford production, Britain’s Got Bhangra plays on the same dates.