Let’s Get Together and Feel Alright
Fool’s Paradise – The Lab
Until March 23
4/5 STARS
Oh man, that voice.
As soon as Duane Forrest sings his first note you know there’s no way you can resist. Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed The World isn’t just a tribute to the reggae legend. It’s a far more personal look at the music Jamaica has given the world, weaving in the historical context of its evolution while focusing on the effect it had on a young black man growing up in Toronto, Canada.
Forrest’s honey-in-dappled-sunlight voice has competition – his easy going charm and million-watt smile are just as disarming. He treats his subject seriously though. His reverence for Bob Marley – and reggae as a musical and cultural force – is clear, and his joy in sharing it is contagious.
As he performs, he encourages the audience to sing too, guiding us through hits by Marley and beyond. His reggae take on I Can’t Help Falling in Love With You is has the crowd in fine voice, as does Day-O (The Banana Boat Song) as we follow his lead. It ends with Redemption Song, and an hour of music and stories – moving, funny and always interesting – from a natural performer comes to a close.
With Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed The World, Fool’s Paradise has unearthed one of the most life-affirming shows of the Fringe.
And that voice? Oh, man.
Get tickets HERE!
