Review: Tina - The Tina Turner Musical
Aldwych Theatre, London ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
From her first entrance, Karis Anderson embodies Tina Turner with every word and move, sending shivers of excitement down the spine for what is to come with what is quite simply a mesmerising portrayal of the Queen of Rock. Anderson is a star turn, confidently strutting the stage in the hit West End production of Tina - The Tina Turner Story.
Few can be unfamiliar with Turner’s story of triumph in the face of adversity; of how, in her forties, having survived a suicide bid (one she was driven to by her mentor and husband, Ike Turner, a man who abused her not just professionally but also domestically throughout their 16 year marriage), the singer reinvented herself to become one of the world’s most iconic and best loved solo performers.
All of this and more is explored in Tina - The Tina Turner Musical, albeit with varying degrees of focus. From her childhood in Tenessee, where she is found energetically praising the Lord and embarrassing her tough-talking mother, Zelma, through to her record-breaking 1988 concert when she played to approximately 188,000 fans at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Katori Hall’s book is a non-stop, roller-coaster insight into one woman’s fight for her rightful place in the male-dominated music industry of the twentieth century.
Talking of music, all the hits are there and more, woven through the story in a way that highlight their autobiographical significance to the singer. (Simply) The Best, when it comes, is the show-stopper everyone has been waiting for - it doesn’t disappoint. Strategically placed for maximum impact, it’s the emotional highlight of the piece while We Don’t Need Another Hero is equally captivating - it is beautifully staged by director Phyllida Lloyd who brings the action into the audience with a touching ‘candle lit’ set piece.
That’s all in the second act, however, and a tad over-long first act ensures you wait for the production’s big pay-off numbers, but then there is a lot of back story to fit in.
A whistle stop tour of the early life and career of Turner (then still Anna Mae Bullock), Act I is a series of snapshots, quickly played out; from her dysfunctional family life as a child to her discovery by Ike, from her rise to fame as one half of the Ike and Tina Turner Review to her marriage and motherhood. As her success grows, however, so too does the chaos of her private life, culminating in a failed suicide attempt.
Katori sees all the essential moments are ticked off and with the backstory out of the way we come to the meat of the piece, the reinvention of Tina Turner in the Eighties, and so Act II opens with a sultry, heart-wrenching rendition of Private Dancer.
Tina is now in London. It’s a new time and there’s a new look, one that catches the attention of Bowie and Jagger and everything that is to follow. What would soon become her trademark spiked wig has arrived.
Ands so, her renaissance, under the guidance of new manager Roger Davies (a likeable Harry Harrington, making his West End debut) plays out as an uplifting and joyous period that transfers well to the stage.
The storytelling is enhanced by Mark Thompson’s slick set and costume design, which sees scenery slip in and out with cinematic grace, rising from the floor, descending from the flies and sliding in from the wings in a choreographed ballet of screens and scenery.
His costumes too play an integral part, reflecting the passing of the years with a nice authenticity, indeed you can use Ike’s ever-changing hairstyles to mark off the decades and, talking of Ike, understudy Earl Gregory is phenomenal in the role, capturing his psychotic rage and paranoia with chilling nuance.
His is one of three notable performances that provide the backbone of this production. The others being Carole Stennett’s commanding turn as the cankerous, all too absent would-be matriarch of the family, Zelma, and Vanessa Dumatey’s warm, charismatic performance as Tina’s loving sister Alline.
Janai Bartlett, who is a perky, exuberant Young Anna Mae is also deserving of a mention.
Director Lloyd certainly knows how to get to the core of a story quickly and plays every emotional card in the deck to tug on the heartstrings. The music helps of course, anthems such as What’s Love Got To Do With It and Let’s Stay Together become incredibly poignant, as do earlier hits from her time with Ike; Nutbush City Limits, Proud Mary and River Deep, Mountain High are all placed into the action with innate precision.
Anthony Van Laast’s choreography is also worth a shout, filling the stage with tightly drilled, inventive moves. His routine for I Can’t Stand The Rain particularly stands out, the raincoats and umbrellas sported by the chorus may be predictable, Van Lasst ensures his choreography is not.
All of this makes Tina - The Tina Turner Musical much more than the usual ‘jukebox’ affair, instead it’s a celebration of the singer’s legacy and a loving tribute. It’s also an empowering piece of theatre capable of uplifting the spirit and rocking the soul.
With a 10-piece band joining the cast on stage, the finale is explosive, but as cast and musicians take their bow as the audience rise to roar their approval, everything comes back to Karis Anderson’s powerhouse performance in which, for three hours, she channels the energy and essence of Tina so effectively that it’s easy to believe she has been possessed by the spirit of the icon herself.
Booking until Dec 21. Tickets here.
