A musical telling the story of the Windrush Generation and Reggae music is coming to the Liverpool Playhouse next month.
RUSH: A Joyous Jamaican Journey opens its 2022 national tour in Liverpool from February 4-5, with tickets on sale now.
The show's narrator is John Simmit, best known for playing Dipsy in hundreds of episodes of Teletubbies.
RUSH charts an immigrant journey of a generation invited to the ‘Motherland’ (Britain) to help rebuild it after World War II, who arrived in 1948 via the Empire Windrush, a former German cruise ship.
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People from the Caribbean (such as Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago and other islands) who arrived in Britain between the years 1948 to 1971 were later labelled as the Windrush Generation.
John told the ECHO: "RUSH was conceived by Birmingham-born Owen Miller, a former UK tour manager for The Jacksons.
"It was first performed in a try out in the Isle of Man in 2015 and it was three years later before the second show at Birmingham’s Crescent Theatre".
John added: "RUSH is a party and a history lesson in a theatre. Audiences of all ages and races find out lots about their own history, while laughing, gasping at revelations and dancing … lots of dancing".
In addition to following the people who arrived in Britain after 1948, it follows the big influence and development Reggae music had in the UK on the people and culture and the world in general, due to the musical content and songs as John narrates the story.
Audiences will enjoy music by Desmond Dekker, Jimmy Cliff, Bob Marley, Toots & the Maytals, Millie Small and many more played by the JA Reggae Band.
RUSH creator Owen Miller said: "RUSH's Joyous Jamaican journey was inspired by my parents and that generation of strong people who sailed across the ocean to the ‘Motherland’, not really knowing what to expect.
"So with their strength of mind and bags, they arrived to help rebuild the UK.”
The name Windrush is mainly associated with what is known as the hostile environment announced by then Home Secretary Theresa May who said in 2012: "The aim is to create, here in Britain, a really hostile environment for illegal immigrants."
This was then implemented in the 2014 and 2016 Immigration Acts.
This saw Windrush citizens accused of being in the country unlawfully after giving the Home Office extensive evidence of their time in the UK, only to be refused because they were missing documents for a handful of years out of decades.
People who lived, schooled and worked in the UK arrived as children travelling on their parents passports and were granted indefinite leave under the 1971 Immigration Act, but were not issued documents to prove it.
It turned out that the government had destroyed landing cards that would have helped people evidence their stay in the UK.
Some were deported (having arrived in some cases 50 years ago). Some lost their jobs and their homes after winning their right to return or after being prevented from continuing their employment or claiming benefits.
A task force created in April 2018, has been severely criticised for the delays sorting out people's right to stay or return to the UK.
The compensation scheme set for affected people, most are still fighting for their cases to be compensated or their immigration status formalised years later.
RUSH will tour many cities after Liverpool including Birmingham’s Repertory Theatre, Manchester’s Lowry and London’s Fairfield Hall.
John has run a successful monthly comedy club at Liverpool Everyman Theatre for three years in the early 00s.
He began working as marketer with Owen for the second show and John said: "While discussing improving marketing Owen asked me to narrate the show, which was still very much in development.
"With little time, I more or less compèred the gig and then wrote a structured narrative, which is still developing that has been the script for tours in 2019 and 2021, either side of lockdown.
“The challenge was to tell a serious story with humour and link some great songs".
Vocalist Janice Williamson said: "I've learned so much about the history of the Caribbean.
"I'm proud this show is sharing so much history and life experiences of the black community in the UK.
"This show is not about seeking to blame, offend or stir up anger, it's simply about sharing knowledge and information in a joyous way.
"I love it when audience members speak to me about what they've learned and share their own experiences and memories".
To find out ticket information visit Liverpool Playhouse or the Rush Theatre Company websites.
