Tina – The Tina Turner Musical

Anna Mae Bullock was born in Nutbush, Tennessee in 1939. She would rise to the peak of her chosen field many years later as superstar Tina Turner. Turner - along with authors Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins - would start workshopping Tina the musical in 2016. In April 2018 Turner’s life story adapted as a musical would hit the Aldwych Theatre in the West End. Every year after, another overseas destination was added to the touring schedule.

Tina - The Tina Turner Musical is more than a tribute to Turner’s back catalogue of impressive hits; it also explores the path she took and harrowing obstacles she overcame to become a rock and roll icon the world over.

In 1956 she would meet her collaborator and future husband, Ike Turner, in the big city of St.Louis. After hearing her voice, he forced her to take the stage name Tina Turner, which she was not happy about, but this would only mark the beginning of his manipulative and abusive behaviour. They would go on to earn moderate success in the Ike and Tina revue, releasing many singles through Sonja Records, but would not experience mainstream success until 1966 with the hit “River Deep Mountain High”, produced by Phil Spector.

Turner was heavily influenced by Mississippi Blues and Gospel and the opening number of the show pays homage to this. Taking this icon on is triple-threat Ruva Ngwenya. Her portrayal is a star turn. Her vocals breeze through the octaves displaying enormous range, only to take on a recognisable raspy tone toward the end of Turner’s career. Her layered performance displays a grit and determination as she finally breaks free of her abusive husband. When she fights back, quite literally - there was a cheer heard from some members of the audience.

Some of the sensitive subject matter contained in Turner’s life has been well-documented through books and a successful film. Although uncomfortable at times, the domestic violence was an integral part of Turner’s story and showed her struggle, from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs.

Act two concentrates on Turner’s independence and musical partnership with her new manager Roger Davies. Flying to London in 1983, by 1984 she would release her chart-topping album “Private Dancer”, containing hits such as “What’s Love Got to do With It”, “Let’s Stay Together” and “Better be Good to Me”. Songs are not performed chronologically and reflect a certain time in Turner’s life. This works well.

There were many stand-out performances in this production. Camille Nko’o as young Tina was fabulous and clearly has a big future in musical theatre. With subject matter raw at times, comic turns were welcomed in the form of hilarious characterisations by John O’Hara as Phil Spector and Terry Britten, along with Mat Verevis as Roger Davies.

The ensemble cast gave electric performances full of energy and pizazz which was infectious. By the time Ngwenya had performed many of Turner’s hits, spanning 50 years, it did not take much coaxing to raise the audience to their feet. Switching from storybook musical to a concert format was ingenious and left this reviewer wanting more. It would be remiss of me not to mention the incredible beats of a talented band, supplying the thumping music for a recognisable soundtrack.

This is a well-rounded production, which will tug at the heart strings and highlight the enormous talent that was, Tina Turner.

Kerry Cooper

Photographer: Daniel Boud