Tina: The Tina Turner Musical – Review – Grand Theatre, Leeds

By Alex Crabtree, March 2026

Has there ever been a more powerful female in music than Tina Turner? The voice, the legs, and those songs will always define her. But for me, her power wasn’t just in those vocals and her music. It was in her sheer survival.

She was a woman who beat every piece of adversity thrown her way, and as my daughter and I walked into Leeds Grand for the opening night of Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, I was hoping we’d get to see that resilience on the stage.

Tonight the theatre was full. Packed full. Tina: The Tina Turner Musical has a reputation as an important musical on the touring circuit. It’s a story that isn’t just a collection of hits strung together, but a gritty, dramatic, and intense historical masterpiece about a woman who had it tougher than most.

We all know the superstar. But seeing the domestic violence, the parental abuse, and the desperate need to rescue herself from a world that was often terrifying tells a different story to chart success and stardom.

“Eerie undertone”

After taking our seats, the story begins in Nutbush, Tennessee. A young Tina is fearful of her father, who abused her mother. And, after her mother flees with her sister, Tina needed out.

There were some incredibly powerful scenes on that stage early doors, and none more so than when her dad slapped her mother. A moment of violence that set a dark and eerie undertone for much of the backstory. The audience’s collective gasp to that, followed by a long, awkward silence was the moment everyone realised Tina: The Tina Turner Musical was going to be raw and honest.

We had Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi as Tina on our night, and she was fantastic. She didn’t just play the role; she seemed completely absorbed in it. From the signature shimmy to that powerhouse voice, she’d perfected every look and every move.

Opposite her, David King-Yombo was a dislikeable-y impressive Ike Turner. He played him with a cold, arrogant tension that made the character’s volatile outbursts feel dangerously real. At times, I actually wanted to look away—it was that uncomfortable. Another standout for me was Claude East as Gran Georgeanna (GG). She provided the emotional support the show needed—an influential strength, and the role-model for everything Tina would eventually become.

“Seeing the legend”

Behind the performances, the production uses a clever and fairly basic set that allows the story to move at a nice pace. Instead of heavy scenery, striking projection and a lighting rig takes us everywhere. The choreography was great too; in fact one of the lighter moments was the famous “chicken” dance rehearsal, where the moves made the whole audience laugh.

It was a rare moment where we could all breathe before the relationship with Ike finally hit breaking point.

And when Tina walks away – bloodied, bruised, and with nothing but her name – I felt a massive sense of relief. I think everyone in the Grand did. This was where the show really got going for me, as one of the greatest comebacks in music history began to unfold.

We watched her struggle through the quieter years in London, trying to convince record executives that she could still conquer the world. Seeing her fight for that was moving, and by the time she finally stepped into the studio to record ‘What’s Love Got to Do with It?’, I felt like we were finally seeing the legend we all recognise.

“Entertaining and educational”

As the finale arrived, the atmosphere had moved from the grit. It stopped being a play and turned into a full-blown rock concert. When those iconic bars of ‘(Simply) The Best’ kicked in, I don’t think there was a person left in their seat.

My daughter and I were on our feet, attempting to dance but definitely singing along at the top of our lungs. Seeing Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi take her bow in a stunning, glitzy gold dress, beaming as the theatre erupted, was the perfect end to a heavy but ultimately uplifting night.

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical is a story that I think everyone should learn about. It’s more than the music. It’s entertaining and educational. And a re-affirmation that, if role-models exist – Tina Turner is one of the most important ones around.

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical runs at Leeds Grand Theatre until 4th April.
Images: Johan Persson