THEATRE SPOTLIGHT: THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL AT CURVE LEICESTER
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Fresh from the West End and on it’s UK & Ireland Tour, Tina, The Tina Turner Musical is on stage at Curve Leicester. Featuring jaw dropping iconic hits and charting the inspiring journey to stardom of the legendary Queen of Rock n’ Roll, Tina Turner. Read on for our round up of this highly emotional performance on press night at Leicester’s Curve Theatre.
**All Production Photography by Johan Persson (Unless otherwise stated)**
Disclosure: Be-lavie received a press invite to experience ‘Tina: The Tina Turner Musical”. All opinions, and views are our own along with non-production photography and therefore remain a copyright of be-lavie. For further information, refer to our disclosure policy
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A life that started from humble beginnings back in Nutbush, Tennessee to an abusive sixteen year marriage in her early adulthood with Ike Turner. Tina traversed adversity in the name of race, sterotype and more. She stood as one of the most strongest, prominent, inspiring artists in history. She knew her music and despite all the personal hardship and trauma, Tina made it to the biggest stages of the world.
The show was produced in association with Tina Turner herself, and written by Olivier award and Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Katori Hall (THE MOUNTAIN TOP) and directed by Phyllida Llodd (MAMMA MIA!). Prepare to experience, emotion, raw detail and a curtain call that feels like you’ve gone to the most intimate Tina Turner concert ever performed. Get those dancing shoes at the ready because the show is incredible and the encore, well, that is a show in itself!
“It’s really important to me to have the chance to share my full story. This musical is not about my stardom. It is about the journey I took to get there. Each night I want audiences to take away from the theatre that you can turn poison into medicine.”
Tina Turner
Notable Performances
On press night, 11 March 2024, Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy (Tina Turner, Australian Tour, the Lion King, UK Tour) played the role of Tina. The performance was an absolute knockout. Tina’s iconic stance, dancing, specific mannerisms and the most powerful vocals we’ve heard to date at Curve, Leicester. All performed to absolute perfection. Completely captivating, believable in the rawest of emotional scenes, right through to the toe-tapping numbers that brought high octane energy to the auditorium. MacCarthy’s performance shows great dexterity, energy and stamina as this is one performance that truly comes across as being physically demanding in terms of those big vocals and covering the space on the stage through movement and dance.
Ike Turner is convincingly played by David King-Yomo (Moulin Rouge, Piccadilly Theatre, Oklahoma) delivers on many tense moments of the show, which can be hard to watch at times notably the depiction of domestic violence Tina suffered throughout her marriage. His performance often leaves the audience gasping with disbelief and suspense with a pin drop silence descending in the fight scenes, thoughtfully directed by Kate Waters.
The supporting cast command the stage both in their individual roles in the musical, as well as working collaboratively on stage. Again powerful vocals complement the dancing routines, choreographed by Anthony Van Laast.
The show features a deluge of Tina’s iconic hits including, The Best, What’s Love Got To Do With It?, Private Dancer and River Deep, Mountain High. The two that really hit deep have to be What’s love got to do with it and The best, both sent a series of shivers down our spines as the vocals hit those high notes supplementing the stage emotions of the scene.
Costume Design Staging & Choreography
The costume design by Mark Thompson combined with wig and hair styling by Campbell Young captures Tina and her backing teams fashion through the eras, right from the 1940s, through to the 1980’s. The bright colours, tassels, glitter and glam of the wardrobe both in her onstage performances in the show as well as other scenes really reflect the differences in her life both on and off performing.
The staging and light (by Bruno Poet) direction are cleverly utilised on stage to seamlessly transcend into the following scenes complete with wardrobe changes discretely undertaken on stage with additional cast members supporting. Spotlight work is perfect for the solo scenes and the concert style routines towards the end of the show add the ambience of being part of a real on stage music performance by the queen of rock n’ roll.
Tina The Musical Final Words
Raw, emotional, tense inspiring and even heartbreaking, this is musical theatre at its finest – a small town girl from Tennesse who defied so many challenges in history to lay out a path for future solo performers. A musical that tackles difficult issues, creates rise and fall with larger than life vocals and outstanding stage presence, A turbulent ride of a stars real life experiences backed by wonderful storytelling and a knock out music score that has the audience reliving those recognisable jukebox hits well after they leave the show! A particular highlight is when ‘Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy ‘Tina’ has the band on stage towards the end of the show and curtain call, and performs a short set with the lead guitarist.
IMAGES: Bejal/BE-LAVIE
Tina passed in 2023 but her inspiring story lives on through the stage, as the carousel of her life narrates the journey of a remarkable heart and soul that dreamt ferociously. She withstood barriers of the narrow minded music industry, age, race and gender to perform solo on the world’s best known stages. True grit determination and a strength to succeed amongst all odds. This is Tina: The Tina Turner Story.
It’s not just about a 12 Grammy Award winning female performer who incidentally outsold any other solo performer in music history – this is personal!
TINA, the Tina Turner Musical runs at Curve until 22 March 2025. After the 22 March, TINA resumes its UK and Ireland Tour.
Head to the official website for tour dates and further information
The Details
- Address: The Curve. Alexandra House, 60 Rutland St, Leicester LE1 1SB I 0116 242 3595
- Map Location: Curve Leicester
- Box Office: Email: tickets@curvetheatre.co.uk
- Website & Ticket Bookings: Curve Theatre.
- Important Information: Includes scenes depicting domestic violence, racist language, loud music, strobe lighting, haze, and gunshots.
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