Tina (The Tina Turner Musical) - Aldwych

Wow, the new signage looks stunning!

http://instagram.com/p/BhaE7u4HuvB

Fabulous sign - I can’t help thinking that it’s the wrong name for the show though. What do others think?

Watched it last night. For me, it was all about Adrienne Warren and it is her astonishing performance that I will remember for a long time. The show will completely depend on the leading actress. I don't know why the musical as a whole didn't work for me. Perhaps everything felt like we were on a ride where we glimpsed snippets but not enough to engage fully eg. interactions with her sons. Apart from Ike, Tina and maybe her sister and mother, everyone was a mere cipher. That maybe is the problem with the biographical musical where we have to have all the life events packed into a linear fashion with little time to breathe. Motown was like that for me.

The Ike and Tina scenes made for the best dramatic moments which only made Act 2 somewhat hollow with little tension. Having said that, the cast is fabulous and work their socks off. Yes, we are manipulated into a song-and-dance ovation but when you have someone as sensational as Ms Warren, you surrender happily and willingly.

The "omg guys" should be in the Legally Blonde section.

Crucially they can't call it I Don't Wanna Fight because Lulu is only around the corner and will beat them down worse than Ike and they can't call it What's Love Got to Do with It.

I thought it was great, it isn't daring but it is a solid story with some classic songs (though the inclusion of Don't Turn Around was baffling until I read it was a B-Side) and perfect for bringing in the crowds (it was full in the stalls)

Warren is definitely due an Olivier, she is barely off the stage and gives it her all (how does that tiny woman have such energy) but I think everyone will be talking about Holdbrook-Smith as Ike Turner, a really complex performance that doesn't simply paint Ike as a villain but as a man who is willing to forsake everything for success (his bowing down to Spector when he isn't invited to sing on River Deep Mountain High for example) and I liked the second half as I prefer her output from that era and I thought the context of Private Dancer during her Vegas period was done really well.

I would agree that the show is not flawless but Adrienne Warren makes it all worthwhile. I actually preferred the 2nd act but that was because I already knew fewer of the twists and turns than in the first. Most of the songs work well in the context, thought the opening Nutbush sounded fantastic as a gospel song. However “We don’t need another hero” was just bizarre given where it fits in the story. Overall though, I loved it.

You think you have rights?

I love that song but the context should have been "SCREAM! I am a movie star with Mel Gibson when he was still hot and not racist" rather than; 

It’s just a shame

That they chose

FOH staff

With no manners

And one brain between the lot of them

Beyond morons

I've only had experiences with this theatre three times, and one of them was the day after a terrorist attack so they were understandably a bit extra in their approaches to stuff. But otherwise, they have been lovely. Which helped with the case of Stephen Ward. They were better than the actual show. 😂😂

Please, if you want it to stop, restrain and don't engage, as hard as it may be.

Well I didn’t see that coming.