Wow, what a show and what a voice. And what a story.
The hit musical Tina: The Tina Turner Musical opened at Mayflower Theatre in Southampton on Wednesday, October 8.
The theatre was packed with people eager to catch this smash hit show, which had its premiere in London's West End in 2018, as it finally landed in Hampshire.
Hundreds of people had come together to marvel at the spectacle of a fantastic woman and her incredible life. One audience member was even sporting a Tina wig.
The atmosphere was palpable, and I am delighted to say that it did not disappoint.
From the moment the show opened, right up to the 'get up and dance' moment at the end, it was a rollercoaster of compelling moments in Tina's life, all set to the soundtrack of great songs, many of them hers.
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Southampton's opening night saw Bree Smith take on the iconic role of Tina. Smith is billed in the programme as the 'alternate Tina Turner' so this must've been a big moment for her, opening night, packed house, getting to show the world what she's got.
She pulled the whole show off like a pro, even overcoming a technical hiccup with the mic in the last few songs with flawless professionalism.
She took us on the journey of Tina's rise to fame, and we all left with an incredible insight into the hardship and turmoil behind the voice.
Tina herself was involved in the creation of the musical and her sense of music, style, and choreography shines through in this faultlessly brilliant show.
Packing in the hits like Disco Inferno, Let's Stay Together and Shake a Tailfeather, mixed with Tina's greats such as Nutbush City Limits, Proud Mary and What's Love Got to Do With It, it was hard not to bop and sing along.
The audience didn't have to be asked twice when Smith belted out 'get up on your feet' in the closing scenes. We had all already been mentally dancing since the opening number.
A great performance from David King-Yombo as Ike Turner, Tina's first husband, and Letitia Hector as Zelma Bullock, Tina's mother, left the audience with mixed feelings, which showed they had clearly played their roles brilliantly.
Touching performances from Daniel N'Guessan-Lopez as Raymond Hill, Tina's first love, and Gemma Sutton as Rhonda Graam, Tina's friend, pulled at the heartstrings.
This jukebox musical, which is in memory of Tina after she died in 2023, is in Hampshire until Saturday, October 18 as part of its UK and Ireland national tour and is not one to be missed.
Book at mayflower.org.uk
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