Tina Turner show rolls into Sunderland Empire and celebrates legendary singer in style

Tina Turner was the Taylor Swift of her day, a megastar who seemed to set nearly as many records as she sold.

This almost three hour show could easily be a tribute act of a jukebox jive of her many hits, but it is so much more than that.

The drama here belies the claims of those who moan the Empire doesn’t do straight theatre anymore.

To be fair the production is called The Tina Turner Musical but it could be just as accurately labelled The Tina Turner Story, and what a story it is.

Written by Pulitzer prize-winning playwright Katori Hall, with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins, the narrative tackles racism, violence, addiction and attempted suicide.

Not what you might expect if you’d simply gone for a singalong – although there are well over 20 songs to enjoy.

Tina Turner herself was heavily involved in the creation of this chronicle of her highs and lows.

It is far from a straightforward rags to riches tale. Turner’s career endured over a decade and a half of mental and physical abuse from her husband and musical partner Ike Turner.

This is a show that places such demands on its lead actor that Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi and Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy take it in turns to take on the role in alternate performances.

N’Zuzi excelled in the staging I saw, but a word too for David King-Yombo who plays the evening’s ‘bad-guy’ Ike so well that there were cheers when it was his turn to be on the receiving end of some rough treatment.

From a huge cast befitting of a major touring production mention should also be made of Chizarum Ochuba-Okafor.

She won the hearts of the audience for her portrayal of the young Tina – or Anna Mae Bullock to give the Queen of rock’n’roll her real name.

In a slick, fast-moving show there is some artistic licence in that the songs are not chronological.

Sometimes it seems strange when records from Turner’s later career pop up early in this biographical timeline but they are cleverly woven into the story to sharpen the narrative.

Once again the Empire delivers a really top class show that a packed audience lapped up. If you manage to get a ticket, whatever you do don’t do what the people next to me did and leave when the show seems to come to an end.

Miss the bus if you have to but stay together with Tina beyond the Nutbush City Limits.

TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL runs at the Sunderland Empire until Saturday 5 April 2025. Tickets available online now at ATGTickets.com/ Sunderland*

* A £3.95 transaction fee may apply to online bookings