From the opening moments of Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, it’s clear this is no ordinary jukebox show. Yes, the hits are here – and delivered with roof-raising energy – but beneath the glitter lies a jagged emotional core. This is a production that asks its audience to navigate domestic violence, racism, abandonment, addiction and suicide attempts, all while being invited to cheer, clap and sing along. The result is, at times, electrifying. At others, deeply uncomfortable.

Since its West End debut in 2018, Tina has remained remarkably consistent in its structure and staging. In some respects, this fidelity is a strength. The show’s refusal to soften or censor Turner’s traumatic past continues to feel bold, especially in a musical theatre landscape that often leans towards the palatable. In other ways, though, it reveals limitations. Seven years on – and following Turner’s death – the production hasn’t meaningfully evolved in its storytelling or tone. What once felt confrontational and fresh now, at times, feels static – constrained by a script that hasn’t quite kept pace with changing audience expectations around how trauma, race and resilience are explored onstage.

The first act barrels through Turner’s early life, establishing her troubled upbringing, her discovery by Ike Turner, and their volatile professional and personal relationship. The scenes of abuse – physical, emotional and psychological – are not brushed aside. They are brutal, repeated and, at times, shockingly explicit. On one level, this is commendable; the creative team has clearly resisted sanitising Turner’s reality.

However, the impact of these scenes diminishes with repetition, particularly due to the staging. The physicalisation of violence is unconvincing in execution. Rather than drawing us into Tina’s suffering, these scenes risk pulling us out of the narrative altogether, undermining the emotional weight they are meant to carry.

That tonal discomfort is further compounded by the demands of the jukebox musical format. One moment, Ike is hurling vile abuse; the next, Tina is belting out a showstopper beneath glittering lights. It’s hard to know how to feel and the production doesn’t always guide its audience smoothly through these emotional gear changes.

The second act, mercifully lighter in tone, charts Tina’s comeback in the 1980s – a more conventionally satisfying arc, but one that lacks the urgency and dramatic intensity of what came before. The pacing slows noticeably as we watch her struggle to secure a record deal. While it’s an essential chapter of her story, it lacks the emotional heft that preceded it.

Stepping into Tina’s shoes is no small task – not only must the lead portray a global icon, but she must do so in the shadow of a string of powerhouse performers who have previously knocked the role out of the park, from Adrienne Warren and Ruva Ngwenya to Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi.

Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy takes on that challenge with poise and commitment. She very much embodies the physicality of Turner’s energy and mannerisms – the strut, the shoulder rolls, the defiant stance – and holds the stage with a commanding presence. Vocally, she handles most of the material with confidence, though there is a noticeable struggle during ‘Private Dancer’. Unfortunately, technical issues with the standing and handheld microphones – used to emulate Turner’s signature performances – are uncomfortably loud and harsh, particularly in the higher registers. This inconsistency distracts rather than amplifies her performance.

Supporting performances are similarly strong. David King-Yombo’s portrayal of Ike Turner walks a careful line. The character is, rightly, monstrous, but there is often a sliver of the charisma and pain that made him initially alluring, both to Tina and to early audiences. Other standouts include Tina’s mother Zelma (played with icy detachment by Letitia Hector) and the comic foils provided by her future manager Roger Davies (Isaac Elder). These characters add much-needed texture, even when the script doesn’t explore them in depth.

Visually, the production remains slick and effective. Mark Thompson’s set and costume design is dynamic and often dazzling – particularly in the climactic concert sequence – while Bruno Poet’s lighting heightens both spectacle and sorrow with sophistication. The continued use of projected video backdrops adds atmosphere in places, grounding us in Turner’s shifting world, but at times feels overused – particularly in scenes that call for intimacy or restraint.

Musically, the band is outstanding and the iconic songs are mostly deployed with intelligence –sometimes advancing the story, sometimes pausing it for pure spectacle. But the inconsistent microphone mixing remains a recurring technical issue, undermining key vocal moments and emotional nuance.

Read: Theatre review: Dear Evan Hansen, The Alexandra, Birmingham

Though this is not the strongest showing of Tina to date, the energy in the Birmingham opening night crowd was undeniable – audience members could barely wait to leap from their seats to give a standing ovation. In a show about survival and reinvention, one wonders whether the musical itself is due for a reinvention of its own.

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, Birmingham Hippodrome
Book: Katori Hall, Frank Ketelaar and Kees Prins
Director: Phyllida Lloyd
Choreographer: Anthony van Laast
Set and Costume Designer: Mark Thompson
Musical Supervisor: Nicholas Skilbeck
Lighting Designer: Bruno Poet
Sound Designer: Nevin Steinberg
Orchestrator: Ethan Popp
Projection Designer: Jeff Sugg
Hair, Wigs and Make-up Designer: Campbell Young
Fight Director: Kate Waters
Intimacy Support: Ingrid MacKinnon
Cast: Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy, David King-Yombo, Martin Allanson, Bree Smith, William Beckerleg, Rushard Chambers, Claude East, Isaac Elder, Georgia Gillam, Letitia Hector, Kyle Richardson, Gemma Sutton, Viquichele Cross, D’Mia Lindsay Walker, Kane Matthews, Daniel N’Guessan-Lopez, Alana Robinson, Sedona Sky, Richard Taylor Woods, Charlotte Elisabeth Yorke, Loren Anderson, Ella Howlett, Eleanor Morrison-Halliday, Max Mulrenan, Tom Self, Toby Shellard, Chloe Angiama, Chizaram Ochuba-Okafor, Shaniyah Abrahams,  

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical will be performed at Birmingham Hippodrome until 27 June 2025 before touring nationally.