The Harder They Come is adapted for the stage

Matt Henry as Ivan plays the gangster rudeboy

Hit musical The Harder They Come is bringing the sound of Jamaica to the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

It's based on the iconic 1970s film that brought reggae to the world and launched the career of Jimmy Cliff.

The cast is all-Jamaican and the show is directed by Dawn Reid who directed the original production.

Leeds-based Geraldine Connor also collaborated on the piece. She's probably best known for her hit show Blues In The Night.

Interview: Geraldine Connor

The Harder They Come has had sell-out success in the West End, Toronto and Miami. It's packed with all the songs that were one of the reasons behind the film's success.

You Can Get It If You Really Want, Rivers Of Babylon and the title track will bring back memories for those who remember author Perry Henzell's iconic tale of 1970s Jamaican street life.

Original star of the film Jimmy Cliff, pictured in 1970

The Harder They Come was a slow-burn hit, only gaining an audience at midnight showings and on the independent cinema circuit. It remains a cult classic.

Its classic soundtrack became one of reggae's best ever selling recordings, and turned Jimmy Cliff into a Jamaican superstar.

The plot revolves around a country boy who makes for the bright lights of Kingston, Jamaica with high hopes of becoming a reggae star.

When the harsh reality of the music scene drives him into a fast and furious life as an outlaw, he would rather die than give up his dream.

Alongside an acclaimed cast there will be a full reggae band to bring alive the original soundtrack for a stage audience in this drama of broken dreams, wasted youth and redemption…the story of a Jamaican rebel with a cause.

The Harder They Come runs at the West Yorkshire Playhouse from Tuesday 1 June until Saturday 5 June 2010.