In another triumph for the Sunderland Empire theatre and the North East, Tina- The Tina Turner musical has arrived for the premiere performance in the north of this riveting, entertaining and absorbing performance.
The musical
If you are expecting a tribute show, then think again as this is a story of racism, cohesive behaviour, domestic violence and ageism – all aspects that ran throughout Turner’s life. Even from a young age, the young Anna Mae Bullock (Shaniyah Abrahams) experienced the abusive relationship her mother Zelma (Letitia Hector) suffered with her husband.
From being discovered by Ike Turner (David King-Yombo) and performing as a vocalist in his band, the undercurrent of control and domestic abuse was ever present, though thankfully she finds the strength to leave Ike not only from their musical relationship but their sixteen year marriage. When Turner makes her decision via giving Ike a taste of his own medicine, the roar from the audience was one of the biggest of the night!
Her big hits are interspersed throughout the musical and are slotted into the dialogue of the show sympathetically. Raymond Hill (Kyle Richardson) and the young Tina (Chizaram Ochuba-Okafor) still managed to send a shiver down the spine courtesy of an emotional performance of Let’s Stay Together.
With the threat of bankruptcy and now resigned to the Las Vegas Cabaret circuit and now in her early forties she has a renaissance in her career via an Australian music manager and long time fan, Roger Davies (Issac Elder) who hears that Sheffield based musical outfit Heaven 17 want to work with her in London.
Romance beckoned again, this time with her new record company marketing manager Erwin Bach (William Beckerleg) a charming and suave German who she later marries. Despite him being such an integral part of Tina’s life in the latter years, Bach is not featured as much in the show as might have been expected.
Tina’s initial reluctance to the new songs offered to her thankfully wanes as the singer becomes more popular than she has ever been culminating in a concert in front of 180,000 fans in Rio de Janeiro. As the on stage band is revealed for the first time it didn’t take long for the North East audience to be up on their feet.
Besides the songs – the other stars of the musical are Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi who plays the older Tina and the previously mentioned Chizaram Ochuba-Okafor who both had the voice, mannerisms and legs that make you want to make a double take.
The costumes were colourful, the choreography accurate and of course there was her famous wig that was synonymous with her during resurgence.
Turner’s connections to the North East
What many might not realise is that Turner had many connections in the North East: John Miles the Jarrow born guitarist played in her touring band in the eighties and nineties right up to her last performance in 2009, Mark Knopfler who was raised in Blyth wrote her worldwide hit Private Dancer, whilst Turner appeared in concert just down the road from Sunderland at Gateshead stadium twice in the nineties – anyone who was there would be impressed with tonight’s authentic portrayal of this musical icon.
Final Verdict
Tina – The Tina Turner musical will pull at your heart strings, put a spring in your step and have you singing the songs on your way home from the theatre.
It doesn’t get any better than this, a show that is (Simply) The Best.
The show runs till April 5th. To get tickets, access the Sunderland Empire website here.
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