West-end hit, The Tina Turner Musical will come to Birmingham Hippodrome in June 2025, as part of a national tour. The show, which premiered at London’s Aldwych Theatre in 2018, tells the Queen of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s life story, using songs from her own repertoire along the way. The show doesn’t shy away from the hard times in Tina’s life, but also highlights the singer’s power, determination and charisma. The set and costuming is lush and luxurious, featuring many iconic outfits and hairstyles worn by Tina, throughout her career. 

The musical, based on a book by Katori Hall, was created with input and approval from Tina Turner herself, before she passed away in May 2023.

Tali Pelman, who is a producer on the show, talked What’s On about creating the musical...

You were in communication with Tina when pitching the show - did that continue?

Tali Pelman: Oh yes! Right until she passed away, we were honoured that we were very close. My children know her, my husband knows her, we were really good friends, and that’s a total blessing. 

What was her first reaction to reading this version of her story?

Tali Pelman: I think she was really blown away, because Katori Hall, our book writer, really managed to channel her voice, and so that honesty that she was looking for, in someone telling her story authentically, Katori really delivered. I know the other surprise to Tina was how her songs told her story - this is something she did not realise until she heard it in its entirety, in one of our first readings. She was amazed. The way she’d selected all these songs, they were all meaningful. She never chose a song that she didn’t feel resonated for herself, and you can see the testament to that in the show. 

How many wigs in the show? 

Tali Pelman: 240 wigs across the whole cast! We are tracing 30-40 years, not only in terms of time, but in terms of places and history, so we’re going from Nutbush Tennessee, Saint Louis in Illinois, California in the 70s, London in the 80s, Brazil and Rio, massive arena tours… so there’s a huge slice of life, and slice of time that we have to capture, and the wigs and the costumes really drive that forward. The costumes are delicious!

Why do you think Tina Turner has such a wide reach?

Tali Pelman: I think what’s very special about Tina, is that she was one of our first music icons to really open up about what her life was really like, at a time when that did not really happen. People didn’t have social media, and were not open. She went through such struggles and finally found that it was time to share what she had to overcome, as an inspiration for people who were going through their own struggles in their own lives. I think that honesty, that openness and generosity really meant something to people, and still does. 

For you, what is the most important element of her personality to bring to the stage?

Tali Pelman: I think nobody worked harder than Tina Turner. Sheer determination, will and work ethic, and also an eternal optimism. No matter what life handed her, she simply picked herself back up and kept going. And those two qualities - qualities that I think are really apparent in the character of Tina in the show - that led her to where she got. 

Do you have a favourite song of hers?

Tali Pelman: They change over the years! No-one’s asked me that for a while… It used to be We Don’t Need Another Hero, because it’s such an extraordinarily powerful moment in the show. I would say it’s still that… Proud Mary is a complete rediscovery for women and men of my generation - going back to those original hits, there’s nothing that gets you up and dancing like Proud Mary. I would say it’s between the two.