For a “fully blown Gregory Isaacs fan” like Terrence Wallen, playing one of reggae’s greatest singers was a privilege as much as a challenge.

Born in Birmingham, England, to Jamaican parents, he played the lead role in The Cool Ruler: The Musical, which recently wrapped a six-show run in the United Kingdom.

The stage production opened May 25 at Hackney Empire in London, followed by dates at Fairfield Halls in Croydon, the O2 Academy in Birmingham, and two shows at the Broadway Theatre in Catford.

Isaacs, who had a massive following in the UK, died in London at age 60 in October 2010.

Wallen previously did Gregory Isaacs tribute shows in the UK and Africa, but he told the Jamaica Observer that playing him in front of thousands of people was totally different.

“I just can’t explain how amazing it is to play Gregory Isaacs, I had big shoes to fill, I had to get it right because Gregory Isaacs fans know what to look for. They want to see his walk, they know what songs they want to hear, they want to see his presence, the iconic hand on the hip, his shirt open,” Wallen explained. “You have to pay attention to detail when you are playing an icon like Gregory.”

It was the 52 year-old artiste’s theatre debut. Although he and his five castmates have Jamaican heritage, they had challenges with the nuances of patois, which he credits Jamaican writer/director Anton Phillips for getting right.

They were backed by the Delroy Murray Band, who played a number of Isaacs’ standards throughout the production, including Love Is Overdue, Night Nurse, Rumours, and Slavemaster.

Rehearsals, Wallen noted, were key to the show’s success.

“We gelled so quickly, we had one thing in common which was to produce the most spectacular musical for the year. Gregory Isaacs is such an icon, we knew we had to rehearse hard for weeks and weeks to get the very highest in terms of production,” he said.

Wallen discovered Isaacs’ music in the late 1970s when his older brother, Sted, purchased the Lonely Lover album. Over the years, he juggled a recording career with his Gregory tributes.

The Cool Ruler: The Musical is endorsed by Isaacs’ wife June and his former manager Copeland Forbes, who were in the UK for the shows.

Singers Tarrus Riley and Glen Washington, and artiste manager/producer Robert Livingston, also attended the show.

— Howard Campbell