Review: BOB MARLEY: HOW REGGAE CHANGED THE WORLD at the Ottawa Fringe Festival

OTTAWA

Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World is unlike other shows at the Ottawa Fringe Festival this year. Duane Forrest combines storytelling, history and music and creates a feeling of warmth and harmony within the audience in one short hour.

Forrest is a Toronto based playwright and songwriter. He begins by giving some background about himself and his family, who were West Africans brought to Jamaica in the slave trade. Forrest explains that even though he grew up listening to reggae music, it wasn’t until he learned about the meaning behind the lyrics, that he became truly connected to the music. He shares some of that knowledge with the audience and plays familiar songs that are given more power through enhanced understanding, including Marley’s “One Love” and “Buffalo Soldier”. The audience is invited to sing along, creating a sense of togetherness and a connection between the artist and the crowd. Forrest also shares a reggae song that he wrote, with a setting in his hometown of Scarborough.

Read my full review here.