With no big names or celebrity performers, the real draw of Soul Sister at the Savoy Theatre is its telling of the Ike and Turner story against the backdrop of her legendary and extremely stageworthy songs.
Starring Emi Wokoma and Chris Tummings in the lead roles, the production which transferred from Hackney Empire, has a lot going for it.
A talented cast, the singing was top class, but with songs like Private Dancer, Simply the Best and River Deep, Mountain High hitting the audience hard and fast, a slight lack of development in the script meant the play was in danger of becoming a Tina Turner tribute concert.
Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but myself and my friend who joined me on the night, would have loved to have seen some further – and deeper – development in the script.
Wokoma who works hard to take on the characteristics of Tina, while still managing to make the songs her own, is undoubtedly the star of the show and ultimately keeps it from being the feared tribute concert. She’s definitely one to look out for in the future.
Soul Sister is at the Savoy Theatre until September 29, before touring the UK.
Media Mummy rating: 3 out of 5 stars.
