(Bringing it) home for the holidays: Diversity and inclusion in Jingle Jangle
Christmas is about unifying under one big umbrella of euphoric celebration, right? For people from diverse backgrounds, however, it can seem an un-relatable holiday — one to sleepwalk through because they just can’t see themselves represented. A recent Sainsbury’s ad and Netflix’s Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey seek to redress this balance. Christine Ubochi explains how re-framing traditional narratives, while doing a South African dance populated by Rihanna, can make a world of difference.
“With Christmas fast approaching, it’s only right we begin the countdown by indulging ourselves in works of art that remind us of the happy season. This time, we treated ourselves to a screening of Netflix’s newly released musical — Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey. No matter the directors, writers or stars, musicals are difficult to get right. It’s one of those genres where the line between ridiculousness and seriousness can often be blurred, resulting in a frightening scenario where A-list actors are terribly CGI’d into scary-looking, realistic felines. Yes. we’re looking at you Cats. Nevertheless, the anticipation behind Jingle Jangle — featuring a predominantly black cast — began as soon as Netflix released the trailer. In light of the current cultural and political climate, It’s vital we note the significance of this before delving into the film itself and its inception.
Phylicia Rashad in Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey (Netflix)
Writer-director David E Talbert addressed the lack of diversity in established musicals in IndieWire, suggesting that the absence of representation in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang inspired his film. In 2017, Talbert tried to introduce his son to Dick Van-Dyke’s holiday classic, “singing the songs and everything” but “he just wasn’t into it at all”, says Talbert. He soon realised that his son simply could not see himself on screen, there was nothing within the characters, plot or story that said to his little boy: ‘I see you’. From there, Talbert thought “if my son is experiencing this, how many sons and daughters of colour, around the world want to see themselves represented as well?”
The need for representation in the genre resulted in Netflix taking a bet on Talbert, giving him the creative freedom to bring Jingle Jangle to life and onto our computer screens (thanks, Covid).
Sleighbells and light twinkles fill the screen as we’re introduced to two young children, gazing at a fire in a cosy living room. They sport vibrant nightgowns, making them look elegant and playful at the same time as the yellow detail in their gowns compliment the red. Next, we hear a regal voice on-screen proclaim: “ready for storytime?”
From here, the musical unfolds and we’re taken into the whimsical world of Jeronicus Jangle and his wondrous inventions.
This period musical, set in the colourful town of Cobbleton, begins with an ambitious, popular toymaker known as Jeronicus Jangle. His inventions are full of fantasy, bringing delight to the townspeople as they charge into his shop to get a closer look. The story continues and we meet Jeronicus’ apprentice, Gustafson, a budding inventor. From here, things take a turn for the worse as selfish agendas override moral compasses.
Rihanna doing the gwara gwara at the 2018 Grammys (Getty)
In all honesty, I haven’t seen a film like this in a long time. At first glance, you’re drawn to the electricity of it all — the colours, the set design, the fairytale music; there is never a moment where your eyes are not visually stimulated. However, once the story progresses, you begin to consider the message behind the film. The ways in which the actors convey their character’s motif leaves you dwelling on the film’s premise — to what extent can one go to when achieving their dreams? How far is too far?
I set up the film on the TV and watched it with my mother and eight-year-old sister and, to my surprise, my mum ended up enjoying it more than both of us!
My sister fell asleep halfway but, in her defence, it was past her bedtime and she’s rewatched it with my other sisters. My mum, however, couldn’t believe how much African culture inspired the creative choices. From the costumes to the music, we both could see the influences behind it, especially during the snowball fight where the children are doing the gwara gwara to Ghanaian artiste Bisa K’dei’s song Asew.
The use of incorporating a culture that thrives on expression, freedom and triumph ties beautifully into the message behind Jingle Jangle. I would delve into a deeper description of the twists and turns within the musical, but I want to save the spoilers and suggest you watch the film yourself. We could all use something uplifting like Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey to raise our spirits right now.”
(Christine Ubochi, 2020)