Duane Forrest's Bob Marley: How Reggae Changed the World captivates Adelaide Fringe

Duane Forrest’s solo show Bob Marley - How Reggae Changed the World turned Holden Street Theatres into a singalong stage, with Glam Adelaide calling it "warm, brilliant storytelling and exquisite musicianship" after the review published on 18 February, 2026. Forrest’s mix of narrative and live Marley songs left audiences smiling and engaged, and reviewers repeatedly highlighted his voice and guitar as the show’s beating heart.

Forrest brings a personal throughline to the material: born in Toronto to parents who were born in Jamaica, he uses his own immigration and identity story as the glue for the piece. Michael Coghlan wrote on Feb 23, 2025 that Forrest "spent a lot of his youth trying to fit into the white world he found himself in, and only when Marley and the reggae sensation reached Canada did everything fall into place for him." BingeFringe captured Forrest’s lighter side in an interview, quoting him: "See kangaroos. I thought they’d be all over the place like our raccoons are in Toronto," and his festival metaphor, "A ginger beer with a splash of Jamaican rum. Why, because you will feel just right after both. One love!"

Technically the show is a study in how to translate band-based reggae into solo theatre. Tim Lloyd described Forrest’s performance at Holden St Theatres as "sophisticated," noting "his acoustic guitar accompanied by lightspeed-slapping of the soundboard for that familiar beat." Lloyd also pointed out Forrest’s use of "two mics - one plain, one modulated," subtle loops and a few projections, while Glam Adelaide praised that "Forrest makes the instrument sing" and called his guitar playing and voice "exceptional."

The set list and storytelling pull concrete moments from Marley’s life and reggae history. Tim Lloyd reported the piece "starts with ska" and walks audiences through song-context vignettes: how Marley and his wife were shot and wounded around the first hit Simmer Down, the patois and events behind No Woman, No Cry, and how Buffalo Soldier is positioned as "an anthem for displaced cultures everywhere." Glam Adelaide noted the script "is creatively structured to have you singing along with him one moment (you are encouraged to join him in songs if you know the words) and gasping in shock when a story takes a twist."

The production has appeared at Adelaide Fringe in more than one season and venue. Michael Coghlan reviewed a 2025 staging at The Lab at Fool’s Paradise (review dated Feb 23, 2025) and noted the run "continues at The Lab, Fool’s Paradise until Sun 23 Mar." BingeFringe also listed The Lab at Fool’s Paradise with selected dates "until the 23rd March at 4pm." For Adelaide Fringe 2026, Glam Adelaide reviewed the show at Holden Street Theatres on 18 February, 2026 and Tim Lloyd listed Holden St Theatres with a run "Until March 22." Tickets were promoted via FringeTIX and the Adelaide Fringe Box Office in source listings.

Critical response has been broadly positive with a minority caveat. Michael Coghlan awarded the 2025 show four stars but wrote it "needed a little more edge to faithfully represent the whole of Marley’s life and music." Social reaction mirrored the warmth of reviews: an Instagram attendee wrote, "...I left the show with a huge smile on my face and looking around, wasn't alone." Glam Adelaide concluded the piece is a "must add" to Holden Street viewing lists, and Forrest’s combination of personal testimony, acoustic mastery and modest tech makes this a clear example of how reggae’s stories can be reframed for intimate theatre audiences.