A heartfelt celebration of family, music and the Windrush experience.
Jah Making It Happen brought a heartfelt story of family, ambition and the Windrush generation to the Oxford Playhouse, combining moments of genuine emotion with reggae music and plenty of well-placed humour. Written by Sadé Nicole and presented by G.A.P Entertainment Company, the musical follows aspiring reggae artist Johnny Morgan and his family as they leave Jamaica behind in search of a new life in England.
The production set its tone before the story had even begun. As the audience entered the auditorium, the cast were already on stage dancing to reggae and dancehall music. It was an unusual but effective opening that was incredibly well received, immediately creating a warm and energetic atmosphere. More importantly, it established the sense of community that ran throughout the evening. There was a genuine feeling that the cast were passionate about the story they were telling.
At the centre of the musical is Johnny’s journey from Jamaica to England and his attempts to establish a better life for himself and his family. His initial experiences fall far short of the opportunities he had expected, and he finds himself exploited through poorly paid work before eventually being offered the chance to perform as a singer and go on tour. His success provides enough money to bring his family to England, although it comes at the cost of spending long periods away from them.
The experiences of Johnny’s family allow the production to explore some of the wider challenges faced by members of the Windrush generation. His wife, Camilla, had been a headteacher in Jamaica but finds herself unable to secure employment in England because of her race. Meanwhile, their daughter Kimmy begins to lose her Jamaican accent in an attempt to fit in, while their son Marlon becomes involved with the wrong crowd, with ultimately tragic consequences.
These are important and at times uncomfortable themes, and the production deserves credit for tackling them while maintaining the warmth that characterises much of the evening. With so many different experiences woven into the story, there are moments that could perhaps have benefited from further exploration. Marlon’s storyline in particular moves towards an extremely serious conclusion when he is shot and killed by police, and giving moments such as this more room to breathe could have added even greater emotional weight. Nevertheless, there is plenty of potential within Sadé Nicole’s writing, particularly in the way the production balances these difficult subjects with humour, music and a strong sense of family.
Comedy was used particularly effectively to provide contrast to the heavier subject matter. Imara-Zamar Hepburn was a memorable presence as Marlon, bringing an infectious energy to the performance. His physical comedy and occasional glances towards the audience, almost breaking the fourth wall, produced some of the evening’s funniest moments. These lighter touches were well judged and provided welcome relief from the more difficult experiences facing the Morgan family.
Music was naturally another important part of the production, and there were some impressive voices amongst the cast. Diamond, as Johnny, and Myki Tuff, as Clarence, delivered particularly strong vocal performances. The musical highlight came when Johnny and Camilla, played by Euphemia Marks, performed ‘Turn Your Lights Down Low’. Their vocals and chemistry combined beautifully, creating one of the warmest and most memorable moments of the evening.
Visually, the production remained relatively simple. Both the set and costumes were fairly understated, but this did little to detract from the performances themselves. Instead, the simplicity kept the focus firmly on the cast, the music and the story at the centre of the production.
Ultimately, Jah Making It Happen is a warm and ambitious production with a great deal of heart. There is room for some of its ideas and storylines to be developed further, but its combination of humour, music and community spirit makes for an enjoyable and uplifting evening. At its heart is a story about the hopes, sacrifices and challenges of a Jamaican family building a new life in Britain, told by a cast whose enthusiasm and affection for the material shines through.
Jah Making It Happen was performed at the Oxford Playhouse on Saturday 19 September.