Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy brings the ‘Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll’ back to life in Tina – The Tina Turner Musical

United Kingdom Tina – The Tina Turner Musical: Cliffs Pavilion, Southend-on-Sea, Essex, 27.8.2025. (JPr)

As it acknowledges in the programme; ‘Tina was core in the creation of this musical, from day one though to opening night in the West End seven years ago, to Broadway, and beyond. Tina wanted to ensure that we told her whole story … As she said to us on opening night, we turned poison into medicine.’ Tina – The Tina Turner Musical is described as a ‘jukebox musical’ which of course it is though whilst Tina’s story is the ultimate clichéd feelgood one of rags-to-riches back to rags and then riches again as the ‘Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll’, few have so many harrowingly visceral moments. Firstly, you are repelled by the abuse Tina (born Anna Mae Bullock) suffers at the hands of her father, Richard, and subsequently her husband Ike; then there is the blatant racial prejudice of the times she grew up in which extended to some record executives she encountered along the way. Tina is sadly no longer with us having died after many years of illness in 2023 at 83.

It was the right venue for the CliffsNotes of Tina’s life – the book is by Katori Hall with Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins – from humble origins in Nutbush, Tennessee, to becoming ‘Simply the Best’ superstar. In church young Anna Mae stands out with her spirit and love of singing (as does the remarkable Chizaram Ochuba-Okafor playing her). Her mother, Zelma, does not encourage her in any way and she also suffers brutally at hands of her husband which the musical does not shy away from showing us. Zelma eventually walks out leaving Anna Mae in the care of her grandmother Georgeanna (Claude East). We soon meet the teenage Anna Mae (acted and sung by Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy) and from this moment on – shortly after the start of the musical – Anna Mae becomes Tina Turner and MacCarthy rarely leaves the stage during rest of the show’s 2½ hours.

Georgeanna does hope for more for Anna Mae and lets her go eventually to St Louis to reunite with Zelma and sister Alline (Georgia Gillam). At a nightclub one fateful evening Anna Mae impresses singer Ike Turner in a sort-of ‘open mic’ opportunity with his band and the rest is well-trodden history including the 1993 film What’s Love Got to Do with It. Ike renames her and success for ‘Ike and Tina Turner’ follows. Tina has a brief relationship with Raymond Hill, the band’s saxophonist and has his child, yet despite this and Ike’s belittling attitude to her, obvious volcanic temper, womanising and drug addiction, Ike and Tina eventually marry.

One day – just like her mother – enough becomes enough and supported by the band’s manager Rhonda Graam (Gemma Sutton) she flees a life of misery to start out on her own; but the changing music industry is institutionally racist and ageist and Tina reaches rock (!) bottom. A young Australian music producer and fan, Roger Davies, sees Tina struggling to make ends meet performing in Las Vegas. Not getting anywhere in the US they head for London to record at Abbey Road Studios. Arriving in London Tina meets Erwin Bach, a music executive sixteen years her junior (they will be together for 27 years before marrying in 2013).

Around this time Tina seeks solace in Buddhism and the chant ‘nam myoho renge kyo’ is something we hear at the start of the musical and later during it. Tina finally takes control of her life, and after success back in New York Capitol Records now beg to sign her. We see her dying mother getting regular visits from Ike who refuses to apologies to Tina and the musical soon rushes to the triumphant conclusion of her appearance in front of 180,000 in Brazil with – it must be admitted – a few loose ends unresolved. But no one cares thanks to rousing renditions of ‘(Simply) the Best’ and the encores ‘Nutbush City Limits’ and ‘Proud Mary’ (three of the most iconic of the 23 songs in the show) which brought the audience to their feet.

There is an absorbing human drama being played out from which those songs emerge organically. Director Phyllida Lloyd keeps the story of Tina and those she encountered during her rise to stardom moving slickly forward though the multiplicity of different locations and different characters. There is almost perfect balance between Tina the vulnerable, yet resilient, person inwardly, and the outwardly confident music icon and stage animal. There is excellent character work from the huge cast often creating real drama which is unusual for a ‘jukebox musical’. Anthony Van Lasst provided some high-energy choreography which never lets up and everyone performs with exuberance and unfailing stamina although it was the second performance of the day, and they have been on tour since March. Mark Thompson’s costumes are stunning and his set design (aided by Bruno Poet’s atmospheric lighting) is ingenious such that with limited stage furniture and vivid projections we travel from the young Anna Mae’s home in Nutbush, then from hotel rooms, venues and recording studios in various cities, to the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Everything is unpinned by a tight, rocking band of 10 who it seems may appear on the stage at some venues, but the Cliffs Pavilion stage is not big enough.

On the tour the exceptionally demanding role of Tina is shared by Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi and Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy whom I saw. I have to say that I doubt if there can currently be a better performance in any British musical than MacCarthy as Tina. What a discovery see seems and we see Tina being brought back to life on the stage with all her insecurities, foibles and acceptance of abuse (physical and mental) before her fight back and becoming the powerhouse performer of legend. It is clear MacCarthy who has a voice of remarkable power, range and ability to convey emotion – is a show(wo)man to be reckoned with and hopefully she can have a stellar future career both as actor and singer.

It is a brilliant company of singing actors, and it is impossible to give them all the credit they truly deserve. Of course, David King-Yombo stands out amongst other standout performances as the charismatic, egotistical and volatile Ike with his insatiable appetite for sex, drugs and alcohol. Happily, some of the other men in her life treated Tina much better and there are significant vignettes from Kyle Richardson as a lovelorn Raymond Hill, Isaac Elder as Roger Davies responsible for resurrecting Tina’s career and William Beckerleg as the supportive Erwin, who will prove a pillar of strength over many years to Tina.

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical is a must-see and possibly one of the best shows of its type – if not the best – I have seen whether in the West End or at the Cliffs Pavilion. It reveals how great music theatre can take you on an incredible journey and shock, move, yet inspire and finally empower you.

Jim Pritchard

Featured Image: Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy as Tina Turner © Johan Persson

For more about Tina – The Tina Turner Musical click here.

Creatives:
Director – Phyllida Lloyd
Choreographer – Anthony Van Laast
Set & Costume designer – Mark Thompson
Musical Supervisor, Arrangements and Additional music – Nicholas Skilbeck
Lighting designer – Bruno Poet
Sound designer – Nevin Steinberg
Orchestrations – Ethan Popp
Projection designer – Jeff Sugg
Hair, Wigs & Make Up designer – Campbell Young Associates
Fight director – Kate Waters
Intimacy support – Ingrid Mackinnon
Musical director – Sarah Burrell

Cast includes:
Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy – Tina Turner
David King-Yombo – Ike Turner
Martin Allanson – Phil Spector / Terry Britten
William Beckerleg – Erwin Bach
Rushand Chambers – Richard Bullock
Claude East – Gran Georgeanna (GG)
Isaac Elder – Roger Davies
Georgia Gillam – Alline Bullock / Ikette
Letitia Hector – Zelma Bullock
Kyle Richardson – Raymond Hill
Gemma Sutton – Rhonda Graam
Chizaram Ochuba-Okafor – Young Anna Mae Bullock
Viquichele Cross – Ensemble / Lorraine
Charlotte Elisabeth Yorke – Ensemble / Toni / Fight Captain
D’Mia Lindsay Walker – Ensemble / Ikette
Kane Matthews – Ensemble / Craig
Daniel N’Guessan-Lopez – Ensemble / Ronnie
Alana Robinson – Ensemble / Ikette
Sedona Sky – Ensemble / Ikette