When a woman as tenacious as Tina Turner tells you ‘no’, most people back away. Thankfully, theatre producer Tali Pelman is not most people, otherwise the musical that has played to thousands around the world for the past seven years would never have seen the light of day. When Pelman first visited Turner to discuss the idea of putting her life on stage, the response was resoundingly negative. By 2am, however, Pelman had talked the rock icon round. How? By reassuring her that the show would not gloss over the hardships she has endured, but nor would it define Turner by her marriage to Ike.

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical does all that and much more. Hardcore fans will be well aware of those R&B hits in the 1960s and 70s to her rock goddess status in the 1980s. Similarly, many will know of her less than harmonious relationship with Ike Turner. But it’s not until you see it played out on stage, with decades of highs and heartbreaks condensed into two and a half hours, that you fully appreciate just what this extraordinary woman experienced. Watching the hard work, violence, setbacks and ultimate triumph all unfold, it’s hard to think of another show where you’ve rooted so much for the central character. 

But of course, Tina Turner isn’t a character she’s a real person who, before her death in 2023, was heavily involved in the creation of this musical. Her hope for the show was that ‘each night I want audiences to take away from the theatre that you can turn poison into medicine’: and that’s exactly what it does. Beginning with her childhood in Tennessee as Anna Mae Bullock followed by chart hits as one half of Ike & Tina Turner, it progresses through her years as a ‘nostalgia act’ in hotels, and on to the surprise resurgence that saw Turner win Grammy Awards, sell multi-platinum records, and play to record-breaking crowds. Along the way she had two marriages, gave birth to two children and adopted two more. 

It’s head-spinning for those of us sitting comfortably in the audience, so what on earth is it like to play? Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi and Jochebel Ohene MacCarthy both know the answer to that question. So demanding is the role of Tina Turner, that not one but two performers are required to play her, alternating each night. Physically and vocally, it’s an athletic work-out (goodness knows how Turner herself managed it), but that’s not all. Dramatically, the show requires them to visit some dark places, where racism, domestic abuse, disrespect and disempowerment all take their toll.

‘It’s really important not to dive too much into someone else’s story, because we will never be Tina, she was one of a kind,’ says N’Zuzi. ‘So when people ask what it’s like to be Tina, I say we’re not, we’re playing somebody. This story belongs to someone else, and I’m part of something bigger than me in order to share that story, but it’s not mine. And having the kids in the show really helps, because for them, it’s playing and they have a laugh about it. So there’s a lightness we find in the darkness, and after the show I have my routine in order to de-role.’ 

MacCarthy finds her faith helps her separate real life from her onstage persona. ‘It really allows me to tap in and tap out,’ she says. ‘Because although you’re playing a character, this person actually lived; it’s all true. And you don’t want to get into the habit of sitting in those deep, dark difficult moments and taking them away with you when you leave the theatre. It also helps to have jokes with your co-workers at the side of the stage to relieve the tension.’

Both women are well established in the role, confident in their ability and loving their time on the UK tour. But it wasn’t always so. N’Zuzi first played Turner in Germany, having the added complication of improving her grasp of the language first. While MacCarthy was hired for the Australian production, leaving behind her family and friends when she needed their support most. ‘I’m getting flashbacks,’ she laughs, when I ask about those early days. ‘The responsibility was so weighty. I was terrified and didn’t find my feet until maybe six months into the show in Australia. I had a very hard time because I didn’t believe I was worthy of the role. And that’s not me looking for sympathy, it’s just something I went through; but I had to believe they had chosen the right person. Now here we are on the tour, and I’m just so grateful that I didn’t quit.’

N’Zuzi agrees and says she had a ‘rough time’ rehearsing the role, learning the German script and, like MacCarthy, trying to convince herself she was worthy of the part. ‘This is such a long show and you have so much to prepare, that you feel you’ll never quite get there,’ says N’Zuzi. ‘Because even the person who speaks the most in the show doesn’t have a quarter as much to do as Tina. But it taught me a lot about resilience and faking it till you make it. It wasn’t easy and there were lots of tears, but now they’re happy tears.’

Support from the creative team was crucial for both performers, especially when it came to capturing Turner’s distinctive movement style. The production’s international associate choreographer, Simone Mistry-Palmer proved particularly helpful, having been taught the moves personally by Turner herself. ‘Getting into the movement was so much fun,’ says MacCarthy. ‘I did my research, watching documentaries and interviews. But then working with Simone felt like six degrees of separation from Tina, except it was only one degree. So that was the icing on the cake.’ N’Zuzi was equally excited to work with Mistry-Palmer. ‘Simone was just amazing because she’d been taught by the goddess herself. And it was so interesting to find out where the moves came from, because it’s not just choreography; it’s a way of standing, a way of getting into a groove. But I’m telling you, once you put the wig and heels on, and start moving your shoulders…’ 

At this point, N’Zuzi starts moving her body in a way that can only be described as pure Tina, and the two women dissolve into laughter. All fear and insecurity a thing of the past. Looking and moving like Turner is, of course, only half the challenge. Channelling the grit and gravel of that iconic voice is hugely important, too. When asked how they protect their vocal cords from the bi-nightly onslaught, both women hold up bottles of water. ‘Lots of this,’ they say, plus little or no alcohol, no spicy food, regular vocal massages and plenty of rest. 

One of the few women who understands the constant challenge N’Zuzi and MacCarthy face, is Holly Bannis. The star of tribute concert What’s Love Got To Do With It? also steps out onto the stage, wig and heels firmly in place, to depict the well-loved star. Bannis says she spent ‘many, many nights’ watching video footage of Turner’s concerts and practising how to emulate that instantly recognisable walk. As for the voice, Bannis has been honing it ever since she appeared on ITV talent show Starstruck in 2022, where the team helped her embody Turner’s style. 

‘I learned so much during the Starstruck workshops,’ Bannis recalls. ‘They really helped me transform into Tina physically but it was when I trained with a vocal coach that I realised wow, she really was one of a kind. There’s a certain way of placing your voice that you have to do in order to sing like her, and it took a lot of work to step away from singing as Holly and transition into Tina.’

Backed by a live band, Bannis works her way through all the hits, from ‘Proud Mary’ and ‘River Deep, Mountain High’ to ‘Simply The Best’ and ‘Private Dancer’. And, like N’Zuzi and MacCarthy, hair has a lot to do with getting into the role. ‘When that wig goes on, that’s the moment I know I’m ready,’ laughs Bannis. ‘The adrenaline kicks in, and then once you’ve got the whole band, dancers and singers behind you, you’re in full-on Tina Turner rock‘n’roll mode. It just comes to me.’

What’s Love Got To Do With It? is on tour until Friday 10 July 2026; Tina: The Tina Turner Musical is on tour until Saturday 7 February 2026.