Review: TINA - THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL at Theater 11, Zurich

The international hit musical Tina – The Tina Turner Musical has landed in Switzerland as part of its recent UK and Ireland tour. In the city where Tina Turner spent her final years, the show gains a striking sense of immediacy. Seamlessly adapted for touring, the production proves it can more than hold its own on the road, delivering gripping storytelling, iconic visuals, and emotionally charged songs. These are performed—on alternating nights—by two outstanding, dramatically astute performers who bring formidable vocal power to this relentlessly demanding role.

The production, directed by Phyllida Lloyd with a book by Katori Hall, follows the revised London version and emerges more tightly woven, dramaturgically effective, and musically compelling than its original Hamburg staging. Turner’s cultural roots, family ties, and spiritual beliefs are drawn with greater clarity and emotional weight. Thanks to its sharp thematic focus and direction that fully concentrates on its central figure, the familiar story unfolds with renewed urgency, weaving the many chapters of Turner’s eventful life into a coherent and compelling narrative arc.

Visually, the show achieves a careful balance between scale and mobility. Mark Thompson’s pared-down set incorporates the large LED projection surfaces familiar from previous productions, with Jeff Suggs’ designs evoking a wide range of locations. Physical elements—primarily flown-in screens and drapes—are used economically yet effectively, suggesting spaces and concert venues without distracting from the character-driven storytelling.

Bruno Poet’s lighting design proves nothing short of masterful, being immersive and cinematic at once. It drives the narrative forward while simultaneously expanding the show’s live-performance sequences into the auditorium. Sweeping washes of light alternate with sharply focused spotlights; silhouettes flicker in and out of view; moments of shadow give way to bursts of glittering showbiz glamour. The result is a rich emotional spectrum, spanning introspection, tragedy, and full-throttle triumph.

Nevin Steinberg’s sound design dovetails seamlessly with this approach, shifting effortlessly between intimate, emotionally charged passages and thunderous, room-shaking soundscapes. Even before the final numbers hit, light and sound together pull the audience firmly into the experience. Under Sarah Burrell’s musical direction, the ten-piece band delivers a powerhouse performance, sending waves of rock ’n’ roll through the auditorium and, by the end, getting the crowd up on its feet.

Anthony Van Laast’s choreography captures Tina Turner’s distinctive, evolving movement language with uncanny precision: raw and wild, electric, impulsive, and unpolished, yet always driven and impactful. Tina, the Ikettes, and the ensemble tear across the stage, charting the different phases of her career. This is matched by Thompson’s costume design and Campbell Young’s hair and wig work, which vividly trace the visual evolution of Anna Mae Bullock into the global icon Tina Turner—complete with her many stylistic reinventions, clearly signaling each stage of her life.

At the heart of it all lies a story that cuts back and forth between past and present. The show opens in Rio de Janeiro on January 16, 1988, moments before Turner steps onto the stage for what will become a career-defining, historic performance. As the first bars of “Simply the Best” ring out, time folds in on itself: Turner recites the Lotus Sutra, and the scene dissolves into Nutbush, Tennessee, in the 1940s. As Anna Mae Bullock, she discovers her voice in gospel music, sparking tensions between her parents, Zelma and Richard, that ultimately lead to their separation. Raised by her grandmother G.G. before moving to St. Louis to live with her emotionally distant mother, she eventually meets Ike Turner. What begins as a musical partnership evolves into a nationally touring revue—and, for business reasons, a marriage. Trapped in an abusive relationship, Tina fights to protect herself and her children. After years of violence, she breaks free, but her path as a solo artist—now a Black woman in midlife navigating an industry shaped by misogyny, racism, and rapidly shifting trends—is anything but smooth. From Las Vegas to London and back to the United States, her journey is marked by both personal loss and the support of those who stand by her. It ultimately culminates in the Rio concert, a hard-won triumph achieved through her own resilience and the steadfast belief of others.

The ensemble rises to the occasion across the board, taking on a wide spectrum of roles. Accents are handled with confidence, and the choreography is executed at a consistently high level. The Ikettes—D’Mia Lindsay-Walker, Alana Robinson, and Jayme-Lee Zanoncelli—inject the show with energy and humor. Isaac Elder brings easy charm to Roger Davies, complete with a spot-on Australian accent, while Rushand Chambers portrays Turner’s father as a complex figure—rooted in gospel tradition yet marked by deeply problematic attitudes. Matt Dempsey revels in the eccentricities of both Phil Spector and Terry Britten, and Samuel Sarpong-Broni lends warmth and charisma to Raymond Hill. William Beckerleg’s Erwin Bach is quietly supportive, while Richard Taylor Woods presents a compellingly ambivalent music executive in Carpenter.

Caleb Roberts delivers a chilling portrayal of Ike Turner, a role he previously performed in London. With distinctive vocal phrasing and undeniable stage presence, he initially appears magnetic—even admirable—before revealing the full extent of Ike’s toxic, abusive nature. The depiction of domestic violence and psychological co-dependency is unflinching, at times almost unbearable to watch, and leaves the audience visibly shaken.

Vocally, however, the evening belongs to the women. Claude East (Gran Georgeanna), Letitia Hector (Zelma), Loren Anderson, and Gemma Sutton (Rhonda) impress with vocal control and emotional authenticity. East’s warm, grounding presence contrasts effectively with Hector’s cool, distant mother figure, while Sutton and Anderson provide heartfelt support as trusted confidantes.

The role of Tina Turner itself is double-cast on tour, with Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi and Jochebel Ohene MaCcarthy sharing one of the most demanding roles in contemporary musical theatre. Both rise to the challenge with remarkable assurance. N’Zuzi delivers a raw, emotionally charged performance that dives deep into grief, fear, and vulnerability. MacCarthy, by contrast, commands the stage with a rich, soulful voice and charts a compelling transformation from suppressed outsider to the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll. Her performance builds in intensity, earning repeated bursts of applause and culminating in several show-stopping numbers.

Both performers also excel physically, embodying different facets of the icon and making a strong case for repeat viewings of this tightly constructed production.

Tina – The Tina Turner Musical ultimately proves to be far more than the feel-good concert experience it is often marketed as. It is a deeply emotional and unflinching journey of self-discovery—a powerful exploration of identity, domestic and psychological abuse, and the structural inequalities of a white, patriarchal society. Long after the curtain falls, its impact lingers. This is no mere exercise in rock nostalgia, but a finely crafted, sharply focused, and superbly executed musical—highly recommended.