★★★★★ (5 of 5)
Principal performers appearing on 26/11/26:
Bree Smith (Tina Turner)
David King-Yombo (Ike Turner)
Sophia St. Louis (young Anna Mae Bullock)
Martin Allanson (Phil Spector)
William Beckerleg (Erwin Bach)
Rushland Chambers (Richard Bullock)
Claude East (Gran Georgeanna)
Issac Elder (Roger Davies)
Georgina Gillam (Alline Bullock)
Letitia Hector (Zelma Bullock)
Gemma Sutton (Rhonda Gram)
Kyle Richardson (Raymond Hill)
She is the undisputed Queen of Rock 'n' Soul. Two and a half years since the world lost the legendary Tina Turner, her story and her music are still filling theatres up and down the land with this official bio show, which charts the lows and the highs of an extraordinary life.
We first saw the show during its West End run in January 2023, when Kristina Love was leading the London company. We've wanted to catch up with it again and now with its extended stay in Manchester, we can finally take in once again one of the true quality jukebox musicals out there.
Turner started off as Anna-Mae Bullock singing gospel (loudly) in her native Nutbush, Tennessee chapel. One night as a teenager she saw Ike Turner performing with his band at a local nightclub, she somehow got hold of the drummer's microphone in the interval and belted out a blues number. Ike knew he had heard a special voice. He invited her to join his band and Tina made her first record in 1958, credited as Little Ann on the single "Boxtop". It was the catalyst for both performing intensity and a personal rollercoaster as Ike and Tina (he gave her her new stage name) became romantically involved. They toured intensively, building up a strong live following although their records stalled in the lower reaches of the charts. Recording guru Phil Spector spotted Tina and knew her voice was just what his latest record was needing: "River Deep Mountain High" - now an all time classic - only managed a no. 88 placing on the Billboard chart, although a considerably bigger hit in the UK.
With her marriage disolving into domestic violence, Tina had no choice but to walk out on Ike for the sake of her children and your own safetly. From there, it was scratching a living on the oldies circuit and a Las Vegas residency where she struggled to pay her performers, trapped as she was in litigation with Ike over her stage name and other business matters. But slowly the tide begins to turn, she is invited over to England to make some demos. One of these "What's Love Got To Do With It" is a catalyst for a whole new start, and slowly Tina Tina Superstar emerges to become the icon we all know.
It is the ultimate showbiz survivor story, and it comes with a soundtrack to die for. In addition to the songs already mentioned we have so many more legendary tracks: "I Can't Stand The Rain", "Better Be Good To Me", "Private Dancer", "Disco Inferno", "Nutbush City Limits", "Proud Mary" - the list just goes on. It all builds for Tina to a concert in front of 180,000 fans in Brazil, and the hairs-on-the back-of-your neck performance of that song, proving to any doubters that she is simply... well you can probably guess!
Bree Smith (who we previously saw triumph in the Come From Away UK tour and The Wiz at Hope Mill) inhabits Tina like a shape shifter. She has the 'fire and heaven' that the character needs and she convinces us utterly that she is Tina Turner. The scenes of domestic abuse are hard to watch, and Smith plays them to the hilt. She is matched by David King-Yombo in a bravura performance of the drug fuelled Ike. Its hard being the villain of the piece but King-Yombo delivers straight down the line with a sleazy, physical presence that earned him boos at the curtain call - the sure sign of a job very well done. They are the core of the drama of the piece but are supported by a cast who are incredibly versatile. Letitia Hector as Zelma, Tina's mother, embodies the coldness of their relationship, saddled with a child she never really wanted. Georgina Gillam is sister Alline, the one saving grace in the household as the sisters find their way in the world, and discover rock'n' roll. Sophia St. Louis delivers a lot of gusto as the young Anna Mae. Perhaps a potential older Tina in years to come?
Above: Bree Smith as Tina
The production has lost a bit of its stage scenery since the West End, with much of the hard work being done by an LED video screen, hwoever it is still a spectacular show with Mark Thompson's sumptuous costumes and where the energy levels drain the national grid. Director Phyllida Lloyd (who was also behind the global success of Mamma Mia!) has hit the jackpot twice with this show, and choreographer Anthony Van Laast conjurs up moves from the dance crazes of decades past to provide a dance time machine for our journey from the birth of rock 'n' roll to 1980s excess. And lets not forget the band under musical director Sarah Burrell who are at the very heart of recreating those oh so familiar melodies and arrangements. They are the very core of the evening.
Tina's is a story of hope against the darkest of forces (the spectre of racisim is very much present too), and as an audience we collectively cheer her every step of the way. Tina was a class act, and so too is this official version of her story. We don't need another hero - we've got the real deal.
Rob & Ian
Details of the UK tour of Tina can be found at the shows OFFICIAL WEBSITE
Further listening:
Although the original London cast recording is a certain go to, also check out this live recording from Hamburg featuring Kristina Love, a fine recording of the show with tracks in both German and English.
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