Telling the story of one of Jamaica’s most prolific reggae stars, Get Up, Stand Up! sees the audience taken through Marley’s life from his early days, being sent away for a ‘better life’ in Kingston by his mother through to his untimely death at 36 years old from cancer.
Unlike other shows of its kind, Get Up, Stand Up! does not attempt to sugar coat Marley’s life and presents his musical genius with a medley of some of his most celebrated hits, counterbalanced with his complex character and a sometimes-chaotic personal life.
The cast is led by Michael Duke who perfectly embodies Marley, who transports the audience through his life story at pace, touching briefly on key life events without going into too much detail and leaves audience members who may be unfamiliar with his life, keen to find out more.
Supported by a talented cast, a special mention must be given to Gabrielle Brooks as Rita Marley. Rita was a singer in her own right and was a key in developing Marley’s sound as a member of the vocal group I Threes who sang backing vocals for him. Brooks and Duke give us a beautiful rendition of Is This Love which lays the foundation of their relationship.
Shanay Holmes who plays Cindy Breakspeare, Marley’s lover and mother of Damian Marley whose rendition of Waiting in Vain is one of the standout duets of the musical. The reinterpretation of the song is beautiful and gives the audience an idea of the complexity and pain within their relationship.
Marley’s political and social background weaves its way through this production with the helping hand of video designer Tal Yarden who splices together news coverage from the time as well as references to more recent events which culminate in a powerful and timely speech, passionately delivered by Duke which is followed by a striking rendition of Redemption Song.
Get Up, Stand Up! Gives you an insight into the man who put Jamaican music on the map and hopefully this will reinvigorate his music for current and future generations. You will leave feeling uplifted, re-energised and humming his hits all the way home.
Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical will play a final performance at the Lyric Theatre on 8 Jan. 2023.
