The play is inspired by the life of Isaacs, the Cool Ruler, who died in London 15 years ago at age 60. Terrence Wallen, a British singer born to Jamaican parents, plays Isaacs who retains a massive following in the United Kingdom.

Written by Anton Phillips, a Jamaican based in the UK, it is scheduled for eight dates in areas where Isaacs performed countless times during the 1980s and 1990s. His widow, June, who is in the UK for the shows, told the Jamaica Observer that producers went all out for authenticity. “The show covers a cross section of his eras; from early years to mid years, and his drug thing, going to jail. A little touch of his whole life,” she said.

Copeland Forbes, Isaacs’ former manager, is also in the UK attending The Cool Ruler: The Musical. He was struck by the audience’s reaction. “This is something with a difference, plus it’s Gregory’s 75th anniversary and he’s still very popular here,” Forbes said in an interview with the Observer. Wallen heads a six-member cast backed by the Delroy Murray Band. They perform a number of songs that made Gregory Isaacs a force, including Night Nurse, Rumours, Lonely Soldier, The Border, Black A Kill Black, Mr Cop, Love Is Overdue, Hard Drugs, and Slave Master.

The Hackney Empire show was also attended by Tarrus Riley; Dean Fraser; and Alexander Williams, Jamaica’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom. From Denham Town in West Kingston, Isaacs broke through in the mid-1970s with ballads like All I Have Is Love and Love Is Overdue. In the late 1970s and early 1980s he had a flood of hit songs such as Soon Forward, Tune In, Oh, What A Feeling, and Night Nurse. Because of his addiction to cocaine, Isaacs had numerous brushes with the law, which stalled his career during the 1980s, still he maintained a staunch following. The Cool Ruler: The Musical was on stage at The O2 Academy on Sunday evening. (Jamaica Observer)