Duane Forrest is Canadian with Jamaican ancestry and he knows a lot about Bob Marley and Jamaican reggae. He has returned to this year’s Adelaide Fringe to share it with you. With his melodious and fabulous voice, solid reggae guitar playing and a story to tell this show has you smiling, learning some history, and reflecting on the migrant struggles of so many who flee their homelands.

I totally embraced the chance to hear some wonderful renditions of Bob Marley songs sung live today but this solo performance is definitely not just a showcase nor a mere tribute. It’s a layered and well crafted piece of theatre. The audience is encouraged to sing the chorus from the first song so come prepared, but rest assured this is not a pub choir vibe – more an ‘I love these songs and I bet you do too so join in’ moment.

Duane’s open and engaging personality provides a warm backdrop and I appreciated the use of photographic stills of both Marley and Trench Town at key moments in the narrative. Despite having toured the world doing this show Duane was still near tears in some songs – they are clearly still very precious to him. His personal story also added another context to the show and certainly seemed to resonate with some other audience members I heard talking soon after the show.

If you fondly remember Buffalo Soldier, No Woman No Cry, One Love and Redemption Song , and you want to know more about the political backdrop behind some of Bob Marley’s lyrics come see this show. If you want to have an uplifting Fringe moment you can enjoy sharing with friends come see this show. Many sessions are on at 6.15 and this will be a fabulous way to start an evening of Fringing.