Our theatre reviewer takes a look at the Hexagon Reading leg of touring musical Jamaica Love and the Timeless Legends concert at South Street Arts Centre.
Jamaica Love
Sat 11 April 2026 – Hexagon Theatre, Reading
Jamaica Love is a powerful musical stage production written and directed by Mervyn Weir to commemorate the 76th anniversary of the Windrush arrival exploring identity, resistance, and resilience through a masterful blend of humour, music, and heartfelt storytelling.
“Speechless! I felt seen, understood and profoundly moved. I laughed, I cried, I sang along, I loved every moment.”
I am still processing the experience as the performance was nothing short of extraordinary. To be honest I did not expect the story to feel so profoundly personal mirroring my parents journey from Trinidad, not only capturing their experiences but the shared history of an entire generation. Such brilliant acting! I loved the powerful storytelling through rhyme, the relevance of each excellently executed song, and the live musicians – although I it was a shame they were hidden.
I was deeply moved by how the play went from the vibrancy and freedom of Caribbean life, through the painful legacies of colonisation and slavery, to the courage it took to rebuild lives in Britain amidst prejudice and hardship. The way it honoured those who suffered, those who were lost, and those who endured to achieve was both heartbreaking and uplifting.
What stayed with me most was the sense of resilience and pride woven throughout the performance celebrating identity and recognising the struggle. It was a powerful reminder to believe in ourselves inspired by the legacy of those who came before us.
It is rare to encounter a piece of theatre that resonates so deeply that it leaves you momentarily speechless. Jamaica Love did exactly that for me. I felt seen, understood and profoundly moved. I laughed, I cried, I sang along, I loved every moment.
Thank you again for giving me the opportunity to witness such an important and beautifully executed production. It is an experience I will carry with me for a long time, I am strongly recommending Jamaica Love to my family and friends, and would gladly return to see it again.
Timeless Legends
Sat 2 May 2026 – South Street Arts Centre, Reading
Presented by Party Peoplez Events the show was billed as … An unforgettable night where the music of Bob Marley, Whitney Houston, Dennis Brown, Jimmy Cliff, Prince, Marvin Gaye, The Abyssinians and Labi Siffre comes alive. Performances from professionals and aspiring singers with live band.
“What a fabulous night of music to so many of our favourite songs, we sung along waving our arms and would have got up and danced if we could!“
Well this was an interesting night at the theatre and somewhat unexpected as the show flyer features images of the original artists so it was difficult to know what to expect. However I was fortunate enough to see a leaked video of a rehearsal which is the reason I decided to go to the event otherwise I would not have considered it as sadly there was no credits or mention of the actual singers or the band in any marketing.
Despite that a great night was had to an appreciative audience of Black music lovers. Credit must go to the amazing live band Reminiscence who nailed every song to perfection. Also featured were backing vocalists Claudette and Sista Thelma from the Reggae Collective
Clifton Medford performed a faultless rendition of three Marvin Gaye songs including ‘Let’s Get It On’. Rupert Gregg‘s brilliantly sung ‘I can see clearly now’ by Jimmy Cliff was the perfect opening to the show.
The eclectic selection of songs provided full entertainment for three hours including contributions from Julia Titus covering Marcia Griffiths, Aqua Livi as Bob Marley with beautiful harmonies from the True Identity Trio of classic reggae favourites by The Abyssinians, all held together by the hilarious compere Moffy whose jokes and innuendos had the audience in hysterics.
A special mention must go to the Prince segment and although sceptical that there are some artists who shouldn’t be covered I was pleasantly surprised by the beautifully dressed Prince-ess Jenny Simmonds who honoured His Purpleness with a great version of ‘Purple Rain’. The cover of Whitney Houston’s ‘I Will Always Love You’ was also exceptional with a surprise finale appearance from Dhuryadas on saxophone.
All in all a very entertaining evening at the Theatre, a great show and an opportunity to see the best of Reading’s very talented singers take to the stage.
Reviews and top image of True Identity Trio by Neesha Marache for CultureMix Arts 3 May 2026
