Review by Michael Dunwell
TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Theatre Royal
There are certain theatre shows where you walk in knowing you are about to see something big. That was exactly the feeling walking into the Theatre Royal for TINA – The Tina Turner Musical. The place was buzzing with anticipation. It is a show that carries the weight of one of the most legendary music careers of all time, and at well over two and a half hours long you might expect it to feel like a marathon. The biggest compliment I can give the production is, it absolutely flew by. From the opening montage I was completely hooked.
The show begins with a striking flashforward of Tina Turner during her Simply the Best era, the confident global superstar we all recognise. From there the story slowly begins to move backwards through time, peeling away the fame and the stage lights and taking us right back to her beginnings. We see Tina as a child growing up in a difficult home with abusive parents but supported by the strength and warmth of her church community. It immediately grounds the story in something human and vulnerable.
Sophia St-Louishe, a young performer playing Young Anna Mae Bullock was brilliant. Endearing, funny and charismatic with a genuinely powerful voice. It takes a lot to command a large theatre stage at such a young age, but she did it with seemingly ease, instantly making the audience care about the journey we were about to witness.
From there we quickly move into Tina’s teenage years living with her grandmother, and this is where the show finds one of its greatest strengths. Claude East, who plays Gran Georgeanna (GG), completely steals the show whenever she appears. The second she walks on stage the atmosphere shifts. Her presence is comforting but commanding, warm but powerful. She represents stability in Tina’s chaotic world, and vocally she is absolutely phenomenal.
What impressed me most about Irene Myrtle Forrester’s performance was her seamless transition between spoken dialogue and song. In some musicals there can be a noticeable divide between the acting and the singing. It can almost feel like two different characters at times (not thinking about Wicked at all!). But she absolutely masters the craft of blending the two together. Her lines flow effortlessly into song and back again, making every moment feel emotionally authentic. It was moving to watch and genuinely one of the standout performances of the night.
Of course, the story inevitably moves into the darker and more complicated chapter of Tina Turner’s life with Ike Turner, played brilliantly by David King-Yombo. His performance is incredibly nuanced. Ike is portrayed as insecure and fragile underneath a layer of loud confidence and aggression. David King-Yombo nails that balance perfectly. If the character had been played too aggressively from the start it would have felt one dimensional. If he had been too passive it wouldn’t have felt believable. Instead, he constantly hovers on the edges of scenes, simmering with resentment, before exploding whenever someone challenges him. It is uncomfortable to watch at times, but that is exactly why it works.
Another fascinating character is Tina’s mother, Zelma Bullock, played by Letitia Hector. She is written in a way that leaves you contemplating her motivations and emotions long after the curtain falls. It is a complicated relationship and a complicated character, and one that sparked plenty of conversation for us after the show.
One of the most visually impressive scenes in the production arrives during a powerful transitional montage. Tina is standing centre stage as memories swirl around her. Her grandmother’s voice repeats lines from earlier in the show, her mother’s voice echoes around her head, and the younger version of Tina dances around. Meanwhile, right in front of the audience, the hair and makeup team enter the stage and begin transforming her into the Tina Turner we recognise today.
Watching the transformation happen live was fascinating. It felt like a rare behind the scenes moment being shared with the audience. But rather than feeling like a gimmick, it made perfect narrative sense. It symbolised the transition from Anna Mae to the Queen of Rock and Roll. It was also a reminder of just how much work goes into theatre productions. When you are watching a show like this it is easy to become completely absorbed in the characters and the story, forgetting the huge team of people making it all happen in real time.
There was also a moment during the evening that deserves recognition for an entirely different reason. Towards the end of the performance there was a medical incident in the audience. Without going into detail, the response from both the cast and the staff at the Theatre Royal was nothing short of professional. The house lights came up, the performers calmly exited the stage and the situation was handled quickly and efficiently by the staff and medical professionals present. Within about ten minutes everything was resolved.
What impressed me most was how smoothly the performance resumed. The cast returned to the stage and immediately slipped straight back into character. I’ll admit I wondered whether it might break the immersion of the show, but as soon as Toby Shellard returned as Roger Davis, with that brilliant Australian accent cutting through the theatre, the story picked up again instantly. It was a testament to the professionalism of everyone involved.
Now we have to talk about the star of the show.
Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi, who plays Tina Turner for the majority of the production, is simply phenomenal. She completely embodies the role. From the moment she appears you believe you are watching Tina Turner. The voice, the physicality, the iconic stage presence, the swagger and charisma. She captures it all without it ever feeling like an imitation.
Her vocal performances are incredible, hitting those powerful rock and soul notes with confidence while still delivering the emotional weight of the story behind them. Add to that the choreography and stage presence, and it becomes clear very quickly why the audience were so captivated. The quick transitions between performing Proud Mary to an intense domestic abuse scene was masterfully performed.
The finale is exactly what you would hope for in a Tina Turner musical. When Simply the Best begins, the crowd can barely contain themselves. Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi encourages everyone to get out of their seats, and suddenly the Theatre Royal is filled with people dancing and singing along, it seamlessly transitioned from a live theatre performance to almost like being at a Tina Turner gig. It was pure joy. A proper celebration of Tina Turner’s music and legacy.
It genuinely felt like the closest I will ever get to seeing Tina Turner perform live.
There are many performers I have not mentioned individually, but every single person on that stage brought energy, commitment and authenticity to their role. No one phoned it in. Every performance felt purposeful and fully realised.
By the time the curtain fell it was hard to believe how quickly the evening had passed. For such a long show, it never once dragged. It was immersive, emotional, occasionally difficult to watch given the subject matter, but ultimately uplifting and powerful. This is exactly what theatre should be!
If you get the chance to see TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, take it immediately. It is a phenomenal production, filled with incredible performances and one of the most remarkable stories in music history. You will not regret it.