A topical and vibrant theatrical show celebrating the beautiful and melodious impact of Jamaican culture upon Britain is making audiences dance in the aisles.
Rush - A Joyous Journey is now playing at the Birmingham Rep theatre.
The historic arrival of the HMT Empire Windrush passenger ship to Tilbury Docks in Essex in 1948 had a seismic impact upon Great Britain. The positive and transformative cultural impact made by the immaculately dressed arrivals from the Caribbean continues to be felt to the present day across popular culture, fashion, food and drink, dance, poetry, sports, film, theatre, radio, and music. The list of the contributions made by these heroic pioneers is vast.
Those first arrivals to these shores came in response to a call to rebuild the UK after the horror and damage caused by World War II. These courageous workers from distant lands arrived to help rebuild a wounded nation and get industry and society back on its feet. They worked long hours toiling away in factories, foundries, Royal Mail, the NHS, construction, British Rail, public transport, British Steel, etc, to make Britain a more richer, stronger and diverse nation.
Despite the daily hardships and challenges, including experiencing casual racism at the workplace and places of worship, these sincere workers continued to play their part in doing their bit for the motherland. Their efforts helped to boost the British economy, and the nation's ailing infrastructure was rebuilt brick by brick, girder by girder.
The show does not shy away from controversial or taboo topics such as racial abuse and intolerance. Wit and satire are employed to contrast the boogie men of the past such as Enoch Powell and his notorious ‘Rivers of Blood’ speech with modern day nightmares such as Nigel Farage and his unholy crusade against migrants and refugees.
The material in this thought-provoking show is a reminder that the way ahead in these fragmented and divisive times, where hate crimes are becoming normalised, should be paved with love and a shared humanity.
Rush - A Joyous Journey is a night of live music that is full of magical delights from beginning to end. The pulsating shows takes the audience on a journey that highlights several key moments in the colonial history of Jamaica such as the arrival of entrepreneurial Europeans to the Caribbean in search of looting valuable natural resources and enslaving people.
The show also highlights the stories of the Windrush Generation and relates their trials and tribulations through an incredible mix of music and dancing which bubbles with the soul of Jamaica.
The music in this production, which includes the songs of artists such as Bob Marley and Jimmy Cliff, is the heart and soul of the show and is so infectious that it had people clapping and tapping along to the tunes.
The JA Reggae Band provides the live music, and what music it is too. Different musical genres mingle and mix, coming thick and fast, everything from rock to pop, from gospel to reggae, from soul to folk, and from the blues to calypso. This is a proper melting pot of sensational music.
The musicians are outstanding, every single performer on stage sings and dances with such zest and dedication that the audience melted with pleasure. The level of professionalism and talent displayed by these gifted people is simply breathtaking.
Singer Letitia George, who hails from Coventry, is blessed with a voice that has the power to light up the imagination of the listener; she weaves colours and emotions in a sublime and dreamy manner with her expansive vocal range.
A special mention goes to Ken Dread whose hyper dancing energy is simply jaw dropping.
This is the kind of ensemble show that provides delicious and melodic nourishment for the heart and mind.
Rush - A Joyous Jamaican Journey is an uplifting show full of rapturous passion and humanity.
Verdict: ★★★★★
Rush - A Joyous Jamaican Journey is now playing at the Birmingham Rep theatre until Saturday 29 June
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