"TINA-THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL" - HOW IS IT?...

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Posted: 3/22/18 at 4:47pm

I know that last night was opening night for the Tina Turner musical, "Tina".  Did anyone in London see it?...Is it good enough to come to the States?...

[mstevens59]

Posted: 3/29/18 at 7:28pm

I went to see Tina on opening preview night and, as a Tina and a musical fan, I loved it. Adrienne Warren is amazing and the last four songs ("We Don't Need Another Hero", "Simply the Best" and then encores of "Nutbush City Limit" and "Proud Mary" were so high energy that people just lept to their feet and stayed there.

The first act is familiar to anyone who knows Tina's story or has seen the film "What's Love Got to Do With It?" but the second act is riveting and it feels SO GOOD to see Tina find love with Erwin Bach (after Ike) and the challenges of the Private Dancer comeback.

Keeping in mind that I am a huge musical AND Tina Turner fan, I struggled with a couple issues that I think were mine more than inherent in the show:

-It can be a bit disconcerting to hear others singing Tina's songs.

-Tina's first act story is well known and familiar. I really thought the show took off in the second act when we got to learn more of what happened after she left Ike and before the comeback. There are a number of surprising song choices including chestnuts from her Vegas and road shows (like "Disco Inferno", etc.)

-Seeing our beloved "kick ass Tina" is pretty much held back until the second act. Yes, "Proud Mary" is the end of the first act and there is some great singing in the half as Tina.Adrienne perfects her famous growls and belting. I'm a bit like a kid and had a hard time waiting.

Hope that helps. I'd go see it over and over if I lived in London but I really hope that it crosses over. Adrienne's performance will be hard to top: she truly embodies Tina without reducing the performance to minicry.

The program (not my memory) lists the following songs:

-A Fool In Love
-Better Be Good to Me
-Be Tender With Me Baby
-Disco Inferno
-Don't Turn Around
-Higher
-The Hunter
-I Can't Stand the Rain
-I Don't Want to Fight
-It's Gonna Work Out Fine
-It Takes Two
-Let's Stay Together
-Matchbox
-Nutbush City Limit
-Open Arms
-Private Dancer
-Proud Mary
-River Deep Mountain High
-Shake A Tailfeather
-Simply the Best
-Tonight
-We Don't Need Another Hero
-What's Love Got to Do With It

[itsshowtime2]

Posted: 3/31/18 at 4:33am

Thanks for writing that. I am visiting London in May and bought a ticket last week because it was starting to sell out and I didn't want to miss it. Sounds like a good time!

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Posted: 4/1/18 at 12:56am

Was able to see the finale and encore of the show on YouTube and was incredibly impressed.   Her voice and dancing were very energetic and transported me to another Tina concert.  I can't wait to be able to see this show over and over again!...

[ChgoTheatreGuy]

Posted: 4/15/18 at 5:45pm

I saw on Facebook that the "cast" album was released on CD and is on sale on Amazon for 5 pounds.  The CD is just a re-release of Tina's "All the Best" CD with the show's artwork as the cover.  It contains NO new music at all...

[Lot666]

Posted: 4/19/18 at 2:47pm

ChgoTheatreGuy said: "I saw on Facebook that the "cast" album was released on CD and is on sale on Amazon for 5 pounds. The CD is just a re-release of Tina's "All the Best" CD with the show's artwork as the cover. It contains NO new music at all..."

Sounds similar to the Donna Summer CD release.

[BroadwayLuv2]

Posted: 4/22/18 at 1:38am

Does anyone know which performances the Tina alternate is on? 

[StageyBoy09]

Posted: 4/24/18 at 6:17pm

As far as I can tell the Tina alternate (Jenny Fitzpatrick) will perform on Monday evenings and Saturday matinees. I don’t know if this is subject to change but it is similar to Amber Riley’s schedule when she did Dreamgirls.

Based on the vocal demands of the show, as time goes on, I do wonder if Adrienne can sustain such a sing without damaging or preserving her incredible instrument for 6 shows a week. I heard one of the ushers talking about her not performing on Wednesday matinees as well over time.

I hope this helps! :)

[ctkathy]

Posted: 5/4/18 at 7:15am

A few friends have tickets for Monday, May 21.   What can we expect from the performance of the alternate Jenny Fitzpatrick vs Adrienne? 

[Jessetenny]

Posted: 5/7/18 at 5:35pm

If this comes in next season to Broadway, I could see next years Best Actress race being nerve-wrackingly competitive. Samantha Barks, Stephanie J Block, Adrienne Warren, Kelli O'Hara.. It would be a good race that's for sure.

[LesWickedly]

Posted: 5/7/18 at 9:11pm

I find it hilarious that you think Samantha Barks would be nominated.

[Jessetenny]

Posted: 5/8/18 at 6:40pm

LesWickedly said: "I find it hilarious that you think Samantha Barks would be nominated."

 

Did you see Pretty Woman? She was sensational and worthy of WINNING let alone being nominated.

[benwilsonn.xo]

Posted: 6/10/18 at 2:23pm

Bit late but the alternate performs on Monday evenings and Thursday matinees

[binau]

Posted: 8/4/18 at 6:04pm

The question is not if this will transfer but when. This is a big fat capital H hit. I’m sure they’re just trying to find theatres, think of logistics, schedules, timing - maybe some smart commercial negotiations. It’s a story audiences will want to see. Songs audiences want to hear. It’s executed in an incredibly entertaining manner. If I could invest $$$ in this show I would.

Warren is giving a performance so good and so important for the show I hope they are doing everything they can to help her sustain a long run and road to Broadway. Her Tina consists of very carefully crafted impersonations of Tina’s spoken voice, sung voice, dancing - and changes throughout the course of the show from early Tina to later Tina. Her vocal performance is so good it feels better than the real thing at times. She is working so damn hard I just don’t know how this kind of performance could last for a year run. But you can tell she absolutely is loving every moment of it and is not taking anything for granted - crying at curtain call. She must be having the time of her life it’s so nice to see.

Don’t look too closely or you’ll find flaws in everything except the lead performance. Yes, at times you might feel some of the jukebox songs are slightly tenuously related to the story (but somehow given the context of the show, story and characters it can get a free pass). Yes, sometimes you’ll see awful projections and cheap sets. Yes, sometimes the story and characters are written in such a way you have to wonder how much of the specific details are 100% true and whether this show is a bit of a counselling dump for the real Tina Turner. But it’s hard to believe anyone, even After Eight, would not have a good time at the theatre.

Without a strong lead the show will probably fall apart though.

[BroadwayLuv2]

Posted: 8/28/18 at 12:49pm

Seeing it this Thursday night!  First time in London.  Does anyone know if Adrienne will be back?  From the looks at her instagram she is in Greece, not sure if she will still be on vacation.  In that case anyone know if Jenny Fitzpatrick will be doing  Adrienne's regular performances or will there be a different understudy? 

Slightly disappointed that Adrienne might not be in it but I've seen some fabulous understudy's before so I'm sure the show will still be great.