Minister of Culture and Entertainment Olivia “Babsy” Grange and Jason Henzell, son of the late film-maker, Perry Henzell, say they’re currently in early dialogue about bringing The Harder They Come, A Musical, now showing in the United Kingdom, home to Jamaica.

While a specific timeline for said venture has not yet been finalised, Minister Grange and Henzell said the musical’s début on local soil would be a glorious celebration of the island’s culture as well as the film’s legacy.

“Perry Henzell was a visionary, and the fact that we’re still talking about his iconic film decades later is a testament to that. It’s wonderful to witness the film’s longevity, and it’s an even greater feeling when we see other countries taking it and making their own adaptations. I think that’s one of the biggest compliments our culture could ever receive,” she said. “People don’t grab at fluxy mangoes, so what we produce here in Jamaica must be good if others are so attracted to it. It says a lot about our small but impactful island.”

Grange was speaking at the media launch for the Treasure Beach Food, Rum, and Reggae Festival at Itopia recently.

Highlighting that The Harder They Come is a timeless masterpiece, Grange said bringing the musical representation of the film now showing in the UK to Jamaican shores would help to maximise the film’s potential on home soil, as there is still a whole generation of young folk who are yet to experience the 1973 Perry Henzell classic.

Agreeing with the minister, Henzell says he is proud of his father’s work and will do whatever he can to maintain his legacy.

“Right now it’s just an idea, because we have to look at the logistics of the availability of the crew, the time of year we would show, the cost to put it on, and so there is a lot to consider because it is a big production. But the prime minister himself sent me a message that he’d love to see it come to Jamaica, and to get endorsement from Minister Grange is also a big deal, because where there’s a will there’s a way. It’s not impossible,” he said.

“It makes me exceedingly proud to see the movie still having the kind of impact it has today. The fact that it [the musical] premièred on the 23rd of September 2025, which was my sister’s birthday, I have to honestly big her up for being an exceptional custodian for my father’s legacy,” Henzell continued. “She honoured him greatly by finding this particular lady, Suzan-Lori Parks, who wrote the script for the musical and did an excellent job. I have to salute them for keeping my father’s legacy going in that way. To see the musical come to Jamaica would be phenomenal.”

Describing his late father as a true visionary and a lover of the culture, Henzell said he believes the film’s authenticity continues to be a standout factor that pushes it to new heights.

“Just to show how far we have come, when my father took the film to the main producers and distributors in America they couldn’t understand the dialect, and a Rasta had never been in a movie ever until The Harder They Come, and my father really believed in that production and the culture of Jamaica. He wanted it to be raw and authentic, and he didn’t want ‘twanging or fake accents’ to suit a North American type of audience; he wanted it to be gritty, and here we are 53 years later, and it’s still growing from strength to strength.”

The Harder They Come, A Musical is being presented by Stratford East in association with Washington Square Films, Joshua Blum and Bruce Miller. It is described by the Stratford East website as a UK première adapted for the stage by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Suzan-Lori Parks (Topdog/Underdog, The Gershwins’ Porgy and Bess) and directed by Olivier Award-winner Matthew Xia (Tambo & Bones, Skeleton Crew).

The film The Harder They Come premièred at the Carib cinema in 1972 starring reggae icon Jimmy Cliff as Ivan Martin, a poor man from the countryside who travels to Kingston with the dream of becoming a musician. The film resonated for its relatable portrayal of life in Jamaica. In 1973 it made its international début and was widely credited for introducing reggae to the Western world.

Minister of Entertainment and Culture Olivia Grange (Photo: Naphtali Junior)