Review: The Harder They Come, Nottingham Playhouse

The Harder They Come is the story of struggling reggae musician Ivan who falls for the beautiful girl he cannot have and sets his sights on the stars. After trying to scratch together the money for studio-time through drug-dealing and a run-in with the law, in which a police man is killed, the now outlawed Ivan flees to the ghettos until a fateful shootout claims his young life. However, this staging isn’t driven by the plot; it is the music which leads the audience through the show. This is quite possibly a good thing as the dialogue is hard to follow, it being delivered in a heavy Jamaican patois. Nevertheless, the music is a strong enough vehicle for the show and the mostly Jimmy Cliff penned soundtrack is excellent, consistent the most impressive element of the production.

Other parts were, unfortunately, not as impressive. The choreography felt a little limp and with audiences becoming more accustomed to the tight dance routines of street dance groups on TV talent shows there was certain sense of spectacle missing from the movement; it felt more like going through the motions than matching the sheer energy of the reggae rhythms. The band were excellent and played perfectly to a note, however the musical direction was missing a trick. One of the most pervasive parts of Jamaican music has been the use of a horn section by bands such as Toots and The Maytals. With this absent there was a whole layer of that musical culture missed out on.

The best thing about the show was the end. This is not meant as an insult but by this point the story is dispensed of, which has been told flimsily, and instead launch into an enthusiastic medley of the songs from the show. Commendable performances are given by Matthew J Henry as protagonist Ivan and the comedic Derek Elroy as Longa, one his rivals for the affections of Elsa who was played well and sung beautifully by Alanna Leslie. The vocal range of Marlon King playing Pedro also impressed massively. The Harder They Come was an entertaining show with flourishes of real style but it could have done much more by way of ‘wow factor’; next time, please try Harder.

The Harder They Come: ***
Image courtesy of the Lowry, Salford.