Electrifying alchemy—“turning poison into medicine” as the queen of rock ’n’ roll herself said.
Involved throughout the creation, from concept to opening night, Tina Turner was determined that the highs and lows of her life and challenges were portrayed, and there are no holds barred in Olivier Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall’s book.
Hugely energetic Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi (with Jochhebel Ohene MacCarthy the alternate and Bree Smith on standby as just no one could keep up the high octane required night after night) is absolutely tremendous as Tina. She brings pathos, vulnerability, vivacity and prima donna-ness as required to the part, channels her inner Tina in full voice, heart and soul, and dances up a dynamic storm with all the iconic moves captured precisely. Stunning.
Anna Mae Bullock had a tough start, a tough middle and a tough heart. Abandoned by her acid-tongued resentful mother (a strident performance by Letitia Hector) and estranged for many years from her sister (Georgia Gillam), relief from her abusive sharecropping preacher father (Rushand Chambers) came from her spiritual and ever-present Gran Georgeanna (Claude East).
Three youngsters line up as alternate young Anna Mae (and another three as sister Alline)—and on press night, Chloe Angiama (Annie UK Tour) was superb.
Those difficult, largely unknown early years morph into the even worse public Ike Turner era: exploited for her voice, pregnant at 18 by a banished band saxophonist, beaten by her philandering, egotist husband (a convincingly nasty and narcissist David King-Yombo) and trapped.
Constantly on the road, with racism ever-present—with white-only motels, corrupt police—and a shallow music industry where bigotry is manifest, Tina’s gruelling lifestyle and violent experiences, and forced to perform just days after giving birth a second time, leads to an overdose and eventual brave escape.
Salvaging only her stage name from an acrimonious divorce and sued for singing her back catalogue, cleaning toilets by day and singing by night scraped a living for Tina and her sons, until faithful manager Rhonda (Gemma Sutton) gets a well-timed introduction for the irrepressible diva to Capitol Records. Issac Elder is the Ozzie with an ear Roger Davies, whose conviction catapults her back into the limelight (with more than a little championing from David Bowie, whose "Tonight" written for Tina is also featured).
Rags to riches rollercoaster it may be, but at no time does the narrative seem self-indulgent or episodic, as director Mamma Mia!'s Phyllida Lloyd’s pace is perfect, and the interspersed hits keep coming organically. Not once does it feel like a jukebox musical, yet pretty much all the headliners are there (and played live by a very competent band both on-stage and in the pit): "Proud Mary", "River Deep, Mountain High", "We Don’t Need Another Hero", "(Simply) The Best", "I Can’t Stand The Rain" and so so many more with "Nutbush City Limits" a resounding, all-join-in encore topped only by an extra helping of sing-along "Proud Mary".
Throw in true copy costuming and on-point period dress by designer Mark Thomson, a huge array of just-this-side of dodgy wigs, Phil Spectre (Martin Allanson), Erwin Bach (William Beckerleg), sons, Ikettes, groupies and backing singers / dancers, Anthony van Laast's choreography, video projections, fireworks and searing spotlights and this is one almighty spectacle. And I, generally the curmudgeonly musicals-grump and not an avid TT fan, really enjoyed the lengthy (two-hour-45 minute with an interval) extravaganza.
On its first ever UK and Ireland tour, so catch it if you can.