Our theatre man Paul Phear gives his take on the new musical about the life of Tina Turner
Paul says:
"Here at the Savoy is one of the West End’s best performances of the summer season. Emi Wokoma shimmies shakes and sings up a storm as Tina Turner in Soul Sister, the story of Ike and Tina Turner (till Sept 29th).
Most people with even a passing interest in the history of pop music will know how 17 year old Anna Mae Bullock was discovered by band leader Ike Turner. It’s been well documented in Tina’s autobiography and in the film What’s Love Got to do With it? This new stage production gives us a pumping loud live band, the fabulous Ikettes and Emi Wokoma’s incredible portrait of the various Tina incarnations through her long career - the wigs team on this show deserve special mention!
Emi has obviously studied the youtube archive for a perfect recreation of that unique dance style. The one where it looks like she’s trying to stop her knickers falling down by sheer will power. Soul Sister never leaves you waiting long for another hit, with Proud Mary and River Deep Mountain High leaving the audience breathless and begging for more.
Chris Tumming’s plays manipulative Ike with a steely edge and the show doesn’t flinch from the violence he meted out to Tina. People around me gasped at the fight scenes.
This show is dizzyingly good whenever Miss Emi Wokoma takes to the stage, and it could be the role that establishes the young Londoner as a real talent. I’m looking forward to watching her career from Tina and beyond."
