Lamesha Ruddock
A fan favourite from the Toronto Fringe, I was blessed again to witness the musical majesty of Bob Marley: How Reggae Music Changed the World by Duane Forrest. From the moment Forrest takes the stage, you are transported into a storytelling experience that is as joyous as it is educational.
We appreciate music and cultures across the world, but how much do you know about this small island of Jamaica and the context that birthed legends from Bob Marley to Duane Forrest? The export per capita is mad. Forrest opens the door to the real context, revealing the brutality, the love, and the tenacity that shaped reggae. By the end, you will never listen to the music the same way again.
The show recounts Duane’s life as he comes into himself, embraces his culture, and discovers how Bob Marley became a conduit for pride and identity. It does not shy away from reality. Forrest pulls the audience in with questions, sing-alongs, and pure entertainment. This is a masterclass in storytelling rooted in the transformative power of music.
Performance and production elevate the experience.. A stool sits off-centre stage left and two mics off-centre stage right. No Woman No Cry glows under a purple side light, intimate and soulful. Falling in Love is bathed in a flood of purple wash, while Redemption Song glimmers with side purple lighting and a backlit light blue wash. The stage is bathed in a soft, alternating cool and warm wash, freezing the audience in a perfect twilight moment of possibilities.
Duane’s relationship with his guitar is pure trust. He bounces, accenting the offbeat as he strums. Vocally he shifts from low bass notes to high chirpy tones with effortless playfulness, hopping around the stage while maintaining a commanding presence. His connection to his culture is palpable, anchored by his mother’s openness, a powerful reminder of roots and lineage.
The show cleverly intersperses reggae classics and original songs with storytelling that digs deep into Jamaican history, language, and the brutal realities of the Middle Passage, using projections of archival photos to fill the space.
Bob Marley: How Reggae Music Changed the World is an experience that stays with you. This is an authentic, polished, culturally anchored musical storytelling that educates, entertains, and resonates deeply.
A must see.
You can catch Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World until Sunday 24th at McIntosh at Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower from 22:00 (60mins). Tickets are available through the EdFringe Online Box Office.
Jake Mace
Elisabeth Flett
