A new musical focusing on a defining period in the life and career of reggae superstar Bob Marley will have its première at Birmingham REP in March 2017.
One Love: The Bob Marley Musical is written and directed by Kwame Kwei-Armah who was given access to the entire Marley music catalogue.
Marley’s daughter Cedella Marley said, “on behalf of the Marley family I’m thrilled that our father’s story is going to be brought to the stage with this production.
“Birmingham is a natural place for its UK première. With its great mix of cultures, it’s a city where my father performed to audiences who were captivated by his presence, and we have no doubt that telling the story through music to a new generation in Birmingham will be part of his continuing legacy.”
Kwame Kwei-Armah said, “few artists have had as big an effect on the world as Bob Marley. Even fewer as big an effect on me. I feel continually blessed and honoured to dance with Bob in this way.”
After an assassination attempt on the eve of a concert organised to calm political tensions in an increasingly violent Jamaica, Marley left the country for London where he spent almost two years in self-imposed exile.
While in England, Marley recorded the albums Exodus, which stayed in the British album charts for 56 weeks, and Kaya. In 1978, Marley finally returned to Jamaica, where the political situation had deteriorated, to perform the One Love Peace concert.
During the performance, at Marley’s insistence, the leaders of two opposing political parties went on stage where he joined their hands in symbolic unity.
One Love: The Bob Marley Musical runs at Birmingham REP from 10 March until 8 April.