Review: TINA: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL, Bristol Hippodrome - Tour
Photo credit: Johan Persson
Tina is backstage. It‘s the first night of her comeback tour. She reflects on her life and all the things she’s been through. From her beginnings as a passionate singer from a small town, to her double act with Ike and beyond, watch as her story unfolds…
The show made its debut at the Aldwych Theatre in the West End in 2018 and has been successfully running ever since. Having opened in Leicester last month, the current production at the Bristol Hippodrome is the second stop on the first ever UK and Ireland tour of the musical.
Design wise, the musical is slick. Projections are used to create atmospheric effects, room backgrounds and show the audience when Tina is having a spiritual experience and showing us her inner world. The scene transitions are not as smooth as they may be in the West End but it’s important to keep in mind that this is a touring production, meaning that the sets have to be dynamic enough to cater for every venue. The costumes are what you’d expect from a show about Tina Turner: era specific and accurate to what she would have worn/has worn.
Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi, Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy and Chloe Angiama all play Tina in this production. The co-ordination between the actresses is so well considered that the distinction and flow between the different stages of her life is seamless. They’re all incredibly strong singers who are very talented at impersonating Tina Turner, from the way she talks to the minutiae of her body gestures and the way she dances. They all fully inhabit the role, creating deeply meaningful interpretations, which give her an electric stage presence.
Martin Allanson, who plays Phil Spector, gives one of the most uncannily unsettling performances. Though he is a minor role in the show, his performance is memorable. There is something off about his character and we aren’t quite sure what this is. Nothing in his dialogue rings any alarm bells, but the way Allanson speaks in short, sharp bursts and creates a pristine box-like shape with his body has us wondering what is so unnerving about this character.
David King-Yombo as Ike Turner has perfected the art of playing the villain. Even when he’s not in the room, you feel his presence. His character isn’t just violent and abusive, he’s made all the worse through our ability to see his motivations and through the recognition of his personal background. At times, he’s so charismatic that you get drawn in by his charm and at the beginning, he comes across as respectful, which makes this character all the more dangerous and we find ourselves rooting for Tina to find a way out.
Due to the fact that this is a jukebox musical, it is even more so held together by the quality of the book. Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins all know exactly what they’re doing, creating arguably the most powerful book in a jukebox musical. The story beats are clear and it is a surprisingly dark and heartbreaking story to watch. They give us a character to root for and we revel in it. It is likely that they are able to unapologetically go to such brutal places due to Tina Turner’s involvement with the development of the musical. The musical is all the stronger for it.
The song placement and selections are perfect because we are able to see the potential origins of the songs, making them all the more meaningful. The mini-concert at the end of the show has us all on our feet singing and clapping along to these iconic tunes, tying the show up on a truly joyous note.
Fearless and important. In the words of Tina Turner herself: (This show) “turned poison into medicine” and it is not to be underestimated.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Megan O’Neill