The second concert I ever went to was Tina Turner. At that point in her career February 24th 1984 at The Haven Theatre in Boston U.K. she was on the verge of a huge second wave of fame. A few months later on May 29th 1984 Private Dancer was released and things got so much bigger. The last time previously that Tina had played the same town was almost two decades before in 1968 when The Ike & Tina Turner Revue were top of the bill on April 20, a show my father saw at the then famous Gliderdrome (a venue that once famously turned down the Beatles). That to me encapsulates Tina’s career, her longevity and her power. It also shows that her music transcends generations – she was there for me in 1984 and 40 years later I am surrounded by people far older than me and far, far younger. It’s beautiful.
Tina is a wonderful musical, and as one who is not usually a fan of musicals I can honestly say I was gripped from the off. Visually Tina is a triumph and the transitions between scenes give it an almost cinematic feel. The set is beautifully lit, dimly so at times, which allows you to concentrate on the actors, whilst bestowing a wonderful continuity and wonderful use of colour throughout from the green of the hospital scenes to the green of the early juke joints to the climactic blue and red backlit beauty of the climax.
Like all stories it starts small: in this case in a small town in Tennessee that we all know the name of, where a big-voiced Anna Mae Bullock starts her journey to becoming Tina Turner, which really encompasses the first half of the show. The first act is remarkably well done, chronicling, as it does, the early life and struggles of a black person, and a woman in small town USA at a certain point in time. It’s a story of love and love denied, of struggle and achievement in spite of the odds. And it is painted beautifully in a series of scenes that set up that journey and bookmarked by beautifully chosen set-pieces – songs that not only manage to keep the flow going but also underlie the theme.
The first act of course is all about the creation of Tina, christened by Ike and that journey towards fame, and the loss and the abuse that came along the way at the hands of the man who shared the billing. All of the early hits are there from the ubiquitous ‘Nutbush’ to later hits that fit the scenes like ‘Let’s Stay Together’ and ‘Better Be Good to Me’.
Despite the tragic elements the show is all about strength and uplifting to the core. There’s also time for comedy too, with a mid-show scene that revolves around Phil Spector and the recording of ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough‘. And whilst that hits number one it’s contrasted with the disintegration of the marriage and on stage partnership with Ike amidst his womanizing and drug use, underlined by a wonderful set piece that is ‘I Want to Take You Higher’.
Act two has a rather different feel and is more of a celebration of the music that came after the wilderness years in Vegas and struggling to bring up two sons. It also showcases some of Tina’s biggest songs like ‘Private Dancer’ and ‘We Don’t Need Another Hero’ making the second act almost a cross between a Musical and a rather fine tribute act, as the band who were introduced in Act 1 spend more time on stage.
There’s more comedy with the synth-pop demo of ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It?’ But in this act there’s a wonderful trick of a flurry of set pieces before the real showstopper takes your breath away. First there’s a rehash of ‘Proud Mary’ and ‘Nutbush City Limits’ to tie it all together before we end with the walk up the stairs that have always been there at the back of the stage, out into Rio de Janeiro concert that saw her perform to a crowd of 180,000. ‘The Best’ lights up the Crown and sees the stage light up, as the band plays in concert mode and the entire room is on their feet dancing.
Ruva Ngwenya, who plays Tina is very much the star of the night, her voice is incredible, and her performance is huge. But the supporting cast is wonderful too and very much on point for this Premiere. Tina is a wonderful story about a remarkable woman who never ever gave up and gave the world music for the generations.
Get out and see this in Perth while you can: