Theatre Royal Stratford East has announced the full cast and creative team for its hotly anticipated production of The Harder They Come, a brand-new adaptation of the iconic Jamaican film.
Running from Saturday 13 September to Saturday 25 October 2025, the reggae musical is adapted by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning writer Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Olivier Award-winner Matthew Xia, marking a triumphant return to the venue where the stage version first premiered in 2006.
Tickets are now on sale via Stratford East.
🌟 Cast Highlights
This powerful reimagining stars Natey Jones in the lead role of Ivan, the aspiring reggae singer navigating the highs and lows of fame and resistance in 1970s Kingston. Jones is joined by a stellar cast including:
The ensemble features Chanice Alexander-Burnett, Lori Barker, Ashh Blackwood, Aisha Davis, Kage Douglas, Robert Grose, Lauren Azania AJ King-Yombo, Jack Matthew, Newtion Matthews, and Marcellus Whyte.
Jason Pennycooke as Preacher
Matthew Xia praised the cast’s “deep connection to Caribbean culture and a shared love of reggae,” and described the production as “rich, rebellious, and full of rhythm – like Kingston in the ’70s.”
🎵 Creative Behind the Scenes
Director Matthew Xia (Artistic Director of Actors Touring Company) brings together a top-tier creative team for the production. Set design is by Simon Kenny, costumes by Jessica Cabassa, lighting by Ciarán Cunningham, and a split sound design by Tony Gayle and Nicola T. Chang, capturing the essence of a Jamaican sound system.
Additional key creatives include:
Shelley Maxwell – Choreographer & Intimacy Director
Gino Ricardo Green – Video Designer
Ashton Moore – Musical Director & Vocal Arrangements
Benjamin Kwasi Burrell – Orchestrator & Music Arrangements
Heather Basten CDG – Casting Director
Aundrea Fudge – Voice and Dialect Coach
Claire Llewellyn for RC Annie – Fight Director
View the full credits and team at www.stratfordeast.com.
