TINA – The Tina Turner Musical at Curve Theatre Leicester Review

DISCLOSURE – TICKETS TO SEE THE SHOW WERE GIFTED TO THE REVIEWER AND GUEST FOR THE PURPOSES OF WRITING THE REVIEW

Reviewed by LW

Tina the Tina Turner musical tells the story of Anna Mae Bullock and her turbulent history and rise to fame. The show is currently touring the UK and at the moment is it curve theatre Leicester. In tonight’s performance the role of Tina is played by Jochebel Ohene McCarthy; who gave an outstanding performance and is very convincing in the role of Tina.

The show opens with Tina, complete with iconic hair, at the bottom of the stairs to the stage. We anticipate she will go up the steps to meet her audience, however she sits and begins a steady meditation. The story then opens to a scene where we see a young Anna Mae in church. This role played by the incredible Chizaram Ochuba-Okafor who despite her young age displays excellent qualities and a phenomenal voice.

As the story unfolds we see the Bullock family at the kitchen table and hear the arguments between the mother and father, resulting with Anna Mae’s sister (Lily Bunn) being taken with their mother as she leaves the family home and telling Ann Mae that she could never love her (A relationship which never recovers and a role suitably played by Letitia Hector). Anna Mae is then cared for over the next few years by her grandmother (GG ) (Claude East) until eventually she is sent to join her mother and sister (now grown up and played by Georgia Gillam).

This is where the story takes flight and she meets Ike Turner eventually marrying him and developing the character Tina Turner. We see Tina in love with another man but due to Ike’s ego he demands she marry him and so a life of an abused wife begins. We quickly hate the character of Ike which is owed to David King-Yombo’ talents.

Raising two children and trying to carve out a career as a successful musician was living under the constant physical and emotional abuse, we develop real empathy for Tina as friends advise her to leave him, however, she recognises she needs him in order to be successful. Eventually the abuse comes to a head and she leaves the marriage and in a very emotional scene begs for the opportunity to be given a room, which she cannot afford to pay for but promises to pay back. After the breakdown of the marriage Ike continues to control Tina by taking all her money and not allowing her to perform the songs which they had performed together. We see her desperate and broke struggling to feed her children. She eventually is given an opportunity to go to London where she is given the chance to record some new music, meets the love of her life Erwin Bach (William Beckerleg) and successfully relaunches herself as the rock’n’roll Tina Turner of 80’s and 90’s fame.

Despite at times the difficult and challenging content this is definitely a feel good show so all performances were really good the costumes were excellent and I enjoyed the projections which were used as the setting. All the music was performed fantastically well and it was fabulous to see the band at the end performing as the live band with Tina Turner.

Although this show has transferred from the West End I thought there were moments that it did feel a little low budget, perhaps this is just due to the fact that it is touring and ensuring that it fits the performance space. I cannot say that this is a great piece of theatre as there is nothing different or especially creative about it; however it is a really good show and a great night out with friends, in particular ending with joining in and singing and dancing at the end.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical is at The Curve Theatre in Leicester until 22nd March 2025. Tickets are available and priced between £10 and £75.

For more information or to book tickets visit www.curveonline.co.uk or call the box office on 0116 242 3595.

The Curve Theatre, Rutland Street, Leicester, LE1 1SB