REVIEW - The Tina Turner Musical is Simply The Best night out for TINA fans!

On Thursday, we went to the Palace Theatre, Manchester to see TINA - The Tina Turner Musical. Read what our reviewer Tom Maher thought about this amazing production...

Growing up, Tina Turner was – for me - one of those artists who simply seemed to be everywhere. Her voice was instantly recognisable, her presence unmistakable, and her songs formed part of the general noise of childhood - played on car radios, at school events, and, memorably, over the speakers at Turf Moor, where Simply the Best accompanied the Burnley team walking out onto the pitch on match day – they were the best at that time, albeit just the 4^th Division of the English Football League.

It’s only in recent years, as more of Tina Turner’s personal history has become widely known, that her music has taken on a different significance for me. Understanding the difficulties she faced, the control she fought against, and the determination behind her eventual reinvention casts those familiar songs in a new light. What once felt like background pop now reads as the product of remarkable resilience and self-possession.

I was interested, then, in seeing Tina: The Tina Turner Musical because I hoped it would offer the opportunity to see both icon and human side by side, to understand more about the woman behind both these stories.

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical tells the story of Tina Turner’s extraordinary journey from her childhood in Nutbush, Tennessee, to international stardom. The show opens with young Anna Mae Bullock growing up in challenging circumstances, shaped by a turbulent family life and separated parents. Her move to live with her grandmother offers brief stability and nurtures her natural musical talent, which becomes the foundation of her future career.

As a teenager reunited with her mother and sister in St. Louis, Anna Mae’s life changes course when she meets bandleader Ike Turner during an impromptu performance on a night out. Recognising her remarkable voice, Ike brings her into his band, and the two become Ike and Tina Turner - a duo whose dynamic stage presence and powerful sound lead to rapid success through the 1960s and 70s.

Running alongside the professional achievements is the increasingly difficult reality of Tina’s personal life. The show addresses the controlling and abusive nature of her relationship with Ike, portraying the emotional and physical toll it takes on her. Tina’s eventual decision to leave marks a turning point in the narrative, shifting the focus to her attempt to rebuild both her life and her career.

The second half follows her to London, a period marked by uncertainty and industry scepticism. With the support of her manager Roger Davies, Tina begins to redefine her sound and image, leading to her major comeback in the 1980s. The storyline builds towards the release of Private Dancer and her chart-topping hit What’s Love Got to Do with It, sealing her status as a global superstar.

Starting the musical with the famous ostinato opening from Simply The Best playing softly and the theatre stage set to resemble a stage door looking up to the steps of a big stadium concert stage hints at where Anna Mae Bullock will ultimately end up and had a few shrieks and hollers from the audience straight away.  This ostinato occurs a few times during the show building the suspense to her future success and the full rendition of one of the songs every Tina fan wants to hear.

As the opening scene develops into a portrayal of Anna Mae’s childhood, the Musical first touches on the difficult theme of domestic abuse.  The audience audibly gasped as Anna Mae’s father Richard Bullock, played by Richard Chambers (Sly Fox in Pinnochio (Stratford East), Korachi in Go! The Musical (Upstairs at the Gatehouse)) slapped her mother Zelma Bullock, played by Letitia Hector (2:22 A Ghost Story (Gielgud), Thriller Live (Lyric and international tour)), across the face – to which Zelma then leaves home without Anna Mae.   

David King-Yombo’s (Moulin Rouge! The Musical (Picadilly Theatre), Oklahoma! (Wyndham’s), Romeo & Juliet (Stafford Gatehouse)) portrays Ike Turner as a seemingly charismatic charmer but with a much darker manipulative and violent side once he has persuaded Anna Mae to join his band and to be known as Tina Turner, even before marrying him.  David builds Ike’s violent character from a few initial tantrums at not getting his own way through to a full on fight at the end of the first half with Tina, played by Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy (Sarabi in the Lion King (UK Tour), Six Triple Eight (Netflix), The Color Purple (Live at Curve)).    
       

Jochebel plays Tina Turner with so much energy and emotion from start to finish, capturing the mannerisms, dance moves and powerful voice that made Tina Turner such an iconic and recognisable performer.  Her interplay with David’s Ike through the first half is intense and has the audience unsettled with numerous clashes of opinion, arguments and the continued deepening portrayal of domestic violence.  The moment when Jochebel’s Tina has David’s Ike in a headlock got a serious cheer from the audience when she briefly had the upper hand.     
   

Isaac Elder (Doctor Chivago in Doctor Chivago, Squirrel in Becoming Nancy (Birmingham Rep), Ensemble in Singin’ in the Rain (Kilworth House Theatre)) as Tina’s manager, Roger Davies, and William Beckerleg ((Skipper/Resident Puppet Director in Madagascar (UK and International Tour), Tom Snout in Something Rotten! (English Theatre Frankfurt)) as Erwin Bach provide some light hearted and comedic moments in the second half of the show which distract from the serious themes. 

Throughout the show, the choreography for Jochebel and the dance ensemble is typically fast and energetic with glittering costumes capturing the music genres and decades in which Tina Turner performed.  When Jochebel’s Tina describes some of the dance moves to her fellow dancers as “opening the ovaries” and doing “the chicken” is another comedic moment.

It should be noted that due to the difficult themes of violence, domestic violence, racism and drug abuse that the show embraces, it is not recommended for anyone younger than mid-teens.  By the end of the show, with the staging, lighting and costumes blindingly dazzling, the audience gave a standing ovation, clapping along, whooping and shrieking as Jochebel’s Tina and the rest of the cast stirred up the audience even more for the last few songs.   As a night out for Tina Turner fans, it is Simply The Best!

WE SCORE TINA - THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL..

TINA - The Tina Turner Musical is on at the Palace Theatre, Manchester until Saturday 3rd January 2026.

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