REVIEW: Tina: The Tina Turner Musical – King’s Theatre, Glasgow

In the words of one of her comeback hits, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical endeavours to tell the legendary singers story through “good or bad, happy or sad”. The reality is that, though in later years she achieved the fame, money, peace and happiness she deserved, her horrifying early years almost overshadow all of it.

Created with the full co-operation of Turner, her story is astonishing: rising as she does phoenix-like from the ashes of abandonment and hatred by her mother, an abhorrently abusive marriage and a destroyed career to global super stardom, it’s a comeback of proportions never achieved before or since.

The story is told chronologically from Nutbush that “little old town in Tennessee” to her reinvention in Europe, and while the story is chronological, the songs, to the writer’s credit, are included in the narrative as they fit best emotionally. And emotionally it’s a lot. On the stark stage, the first act is at times a hard watch: the relentless darkness, the racism and violence towards Turner leaves a bitter taste. The pacing is slow and there are some over-worked moments of melodrama and some cheesy over acting from sister Alline (Georgia Gillam), which seem misjudged.

The action ramps up as we come to Turner’s much-anticipated revival, though the triumph is short-lived as we plunge back into a final confrontation with the mother who abandoned her. Thankfully, the encore delivers the concert-like celebration the crowd wants. It’s in these moments that you feel that Turner is celebrated as she should be. The balance is just a little off-kilter between trauma and triumph.

Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy is in fine voice as Tina, managing to capture her power and famous rasp, though she’s a little under-powered in her lower register. MacCarthy’s energy is admirable throughout. David King-Yombo is suitably repellent as Ike, and William Beckerleg as love Erwin Bach and Isaac Elder as manager Roger Davies, the men who eventually steer Turner to stardom, are particularly appealing.

This is a story worth telling and all the more astonishing for the trials this incredible woman went through on her road to triumph. An emotional roller-coaster.

Runs until 27 September 2025 | Image:  Johan Persson