Caribbeans Connects founder Jermaine Young-Bushay was invited to Theatre Royal Stratford East to experience the stage production of The Harder They Come — a show that proved to be far more than simply a night at the theatre.
For Jermaine, it brought together several worlds that have played an important part in his own life: Caribbean culture, Jamaican music, family history and acting.
The production is based on Perry Henzell’s landmark 1972 Jamaican film The Harder They Come, co-written with Trevor Rhone and famously starring reggae icon Jimmy Cliff as Ivan, a young aspiring singer trying to establish himself in Kingston.
The Stratford East stage adaptation was written by Tony and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Suzan-Lori Parks and directed by Olivier Award-winner Matthew Xia, with Natey Jones returning in the leading role of Ivan. The 2026 production ran from 16 May to 4 July following the success of its previous Stratford East run.
What made the experience particularly meaningful for Jermaine was his own family's connection with reggae music.
His father, Clem Bushay, produced reggae and Lovers Rock music, meaning that Jamaican music wasn't something Jermaine simply discovered later in life — it was something that surrounded his upbringing and family history.
Because of that, hearing reggae music brought to life in a theatrical setting carried an additional layer of nostalgia.
“I really enjoyed the nostalgic element of it. Growing up with my dad producing Lovers Rock and reggae music meant that the music and culture already had a personal meaning to me. Seeing that world represented on stage brought back that feeling.”
The show's soundtrack draws heavily on the musical legacy surrounding the original film, including Jimmy Cliff classics such as “Many Rivers to Cross” and “You Can Get It If You Really Want”, alongside music associated with artists including Desmond Dekker and Toots and the Maytals.
The original film itself became an important cultural vehicle for Jamaican music internationally. The BFI describes The Harder They Come as a film widely credited with helping introduce reggae and the roots movement to audiences around the world.
One of the strongest aspects of the production was how successfully it captured the energy of Jamaica.
Rather than Jamaican culture simply being used as a backdrop, the music, movement, characters and atmosphere gave the production an identity of its own.
The story follows Ivan as he arrives in Kingston determined to become a recording star, only to encounter exploitation within the music business and eventually rebel against the system around him. The stage production uses his journey to explore ambition, inequality and the personal cost of fighting against injustice.
For Jermaine, however, it was the atmosphere that stayed with him most.
There was a familiarity to the energy on stage — from the music and humour to the movement, language and interactions between the characters — that helped the production feel connected to the Jamaica it was representing.
There was another side to the experience for Jermaine.
Alongside founding Caribbeans Connects, Jermaine Young-Bushay also works professionally as an actor under the name Jermaine Young, which gave him another perspective when watching the performances on stage.
Watching the actors perform therefore gave him a different appreciation of the production.
Rather than only following the story, he found himself watching the performances, character choices, physicality and the way the company sustained the energy of the production.
It created a feeling of connection — not only as someone of Caribbean heritage and the son of a reggae producer, but also as a fellow actor watching Caribbean stories being performed on a major London stage.
“As an actor myself, I was watching it from two perspectives. I could enjoy the show as an audience member, but part of me was also watching the performances and thinking about the craft behind it. Seeing Caribbean actors and Caribbean stories given that kind of platform made me feel proud and connected.”
That representation is particularly relevant to the work of Caribbeans Connects, which was created to provide greater visibility and opportunities for Caribbean actors, musicians, filmmakers, models, creatives and cultural figures.
The experience extended beyond the performance itself.
Theatre Royal Stratford East sits in Gerry Raffles Square in the heart of Stratford and is only around a five-minute walk from Stratford station, making it particularly convenient for audiences travelling across London.
Jermaine also found the theatre welcoming and accessible.
The venue officially provides step-free access through its main entrance, wheelchair-accessible facilities and dedicated wheelchair spaces within the stalls.
That accessibility, combined with the atmosphere of the theatre itself, made the overall experience feel relaxed and inviting rather than overly formal.
What The Harder They Come demonstrates is why productions centred around Caribbean stories continue to matter.
The original film arrived more than 50 years ago, yet themes surrounding artists fighting to be heard, exploitation within the music industry, ambition, identity and inequality remain recognisable today.
For Jermaine, seeing the story brought back to life also highlighted the importance of preserving Caribbean cultural history while introducing it to younger generations.
The production managed to celebrate its musical heritage without feeling trapped in the past.
And for someone whose own journey crosses Caribbean media, acting and a family legacy within reggae and Lovers Rock, it was an experience that felt particularly close to home.
Vibrant, nostalgic and full of Jamaican energy. The Harder They Come successfully brought Caribbean music and storytelling onto the stage while reminding audiences just how influential Jamaican culture has been internationally.
For Caribbeans Connects founder Jermaine Young-Bushay, it was also something more personal — a connection between his father's musical legacy, his own journey as an actor, and the Caribbean culture that continues to inspire the platform he has built. 