Leeds

“What’s Love Got to Do with It?”: A Story of Survival at Leeds Grand Theatre

Declan Kelly Declan Kelly - 19th March 2026

An unflinching and empowering portrait of Tina Turner’s life.

Bringing the life of the Queen of Rock ’n’ Roll to the stage, TINA: The Tina Turner Musical arrives at the Leeds Grand Theatre with an energy that is both electrifying and deeply affecting. More than just a celebration of Tina Turner’s iconic career, this production offers a powerful portrayal of the hardship she endured and the extraordinary strength it took to overcome it.

While the musical is packed with well-known hits, it is the story behind them that leaves the greatest impact. From her early years to her rise to global stardom, the production lays bare the reality of Tina’s life, particularly the abuse and control she experienced at the hands of Ike.

These moments are handled with care but never softened, forcing the audience to confront the emotional and physical toll of her journey. It is this honesty that gives the show its real power this is not just a story of success, but one of survival.

Image: Supplied

A standout element of the production is the use of a younger Tina to show the early stages of her life and career. These scenes reveal her vulnerability, ambition, and the experiences that shaped her resilience, giving crucial context to her struggles with Ike and making her eventual empowerment all the more powerful. From hopeful, constrained performer to fiercely independent icon, her journey feels earned and deeply moving.

At the heart of the show is Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi, whose portrayal of Tina is nothing short of extraordinary. She captures every facet of the performer from vulnerability to fierce determination allowing the audience to fully experience Tina’s lowest moments as well as her eventual rise.

Image: Supplied

Opposite her, David King-Yombo delivers a chilling performance as Ike, embodying the manipulation and control that defined their relationship. Their dynamic is deeply uncomfortable at times, but essential in highlighting the magnitude of Tina’s resilience.

Equally striking is the musical’s staging and visual storytelling, which mirrors Tina’s emotional journey. Intimate early-life moments and larger-than-life concert sequences are enhanced with lighting, set design, and choreography.

Iconic numbers such as “Disco Inferno,” “Proud Mary,” “What’s Love Got to Do with It,” and “Private Dancer” are brought to life with golden disco balls and soaring spotlights, celebrating her rise while reflecting her transformation from oppression to empowerment. These moments are met with overwhelming audience enthusiasm, making Tina’s struggles and triumphs feel immediate, immersive, and unforgettable.

Image: Supplied

The only area that felt slightly less polished was the stage combat. While the physical tension between Tina and Ike was effective in conveying conflict and control, some of the choreography occasionally felt a little uneven, which momentarily pulled focus from the emotional intensity of those scenes. Even so, these moments were brief and did little to diminish the overall impact of the production. 

By the final moments of the production, Tina prepares once more to take the stage, the narrative comes full circle the show ends the same way it began, with Tina getting ready for her gig. This framing is both thoughtful and powerful, giving the audience a moment to reflect on and celebrate the journey they have just witnessed.

Having experienced her struggles, triumphs, and transformation, the audience is invited to share in the exhilaration of her performance, turning the theatre into a concert-like celebration of resilience, empowerment, and music. As Tina herself, who worked on the production before her passing in 2023, described on opening night, the show is “poison turned into medicine.”

Ultimately, TINA: The Tina Turner Musical is a story of empowerment forged through adversity. For audiences at the Leeds Grand Theatre, this is more than a night at the theatre; it is an emotional, inspiring, and unforgettable tribute to a woman who refused to be defined by her past.

Running until 4 April. Tickets available now here.

Featured image - Supplied

Leeds

Kevin Sinfield will return to Leeds for his final 7 in 7 challenge in honour of Rob Burrow

Clementine Hall Clementine Hall

Leeds legend Kevin Sinfield is set to take on his seventh and final 7 in 7 challenge this month.

The former Leeds Rhinos captain will begin 7 in 7: The Grand Finale next Sunday 27 September.

Wondering what on earth that is? Allow us to fill you in.

Sinfield will be running an ultra-marathon every day for seven days, and this time it's across the north of England including a special stop off right here in Leeds.

Not only that, but the challenge will bring Sinfield back to some of the places that have played a huge part in his rugby league career.

The route will visit all 12 English Betfred Super League grounds, starting at Hull KR before travelling through Yorkshire and eventually crossing the Pennines towards Manchester where Sinfield is from.

Here in Leeds, we can expect Sinfield to arrive at Headingley Stadium on Wednesday 30 September at 11:14am, before leaving towards Pudsey Civic Hall at 11:40am.

The challenge will then finish at Old Trafford on Saturday 3 October, where Sinfield will arrive ahead of the Super League Grand Final.

Since the first annual challenge back in 2020, Kevin Sinfield and his team have raised over £11 million for the MND community with six charities set to benefit once again from this years fundraising.

It's an amazing challenge for an amazing cause, and you can donate and find out more about the challenge here.

Good luck Kevin and the team, we know you'll smash it.

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Featured image - Wikimedia Commons

Leeds

Fences at Leeds Playhouse – walls, wounds and what we leave behind | Review 

Declan Kelly Declan Kelly

Leeds Playhouse delivers a powerful story about the walls we build.

August Wilson’s Fences is a powerful and deeply personal family drama, exploring race, fatherhood, ambition and the emotional scars that can be passed from one generation to the next.

At Leeds Playhouse, the strength of the production lies largely with its cast. Ray Fearon gives Troy Maxson a commanding presence, balancing humour and charm with a growing sense of anger and resentment. It is an uncomfortable performance at times, but one that keeps you invested in Troy even when his actions become increasingly difficult to accept.

Madeline Appiah brings real warmth and emotional depth to Rose, while Josh Tedeku captures Cory’s frustration as a young man determined to make his own way rather than inherit his father’s limitations.

Image: Supplied

For me, though, Act 2 is where the production really comes alive.

The first half feels comparatively restrained. That isn't necessarily a criticism of the performances or Wilson's writing, but having experienced previous Headlong productions, I went in expecting a little more theatrical imagination from the staging. There were moments where I felt the production could have pushed the material further visually.

Act 2 begins to deliver that.

The rotating set adds movement and energy, while the bright LED lighting works particularly well with the live music, creating a more heightened atmosphere as the family's tensions reach breaking point. The production suddenly feels more visually ambitious, and the design starts to work hand-in-hand with the emotional journey of the characters.

Images: Supplied

The fence itself is an effective recurring image, initially a practical task, but gradually becoming a representation of Troy's need for control, protection and separation. The more the story unfolds, the more the fence feels like a barrier between Troy and the people he loves.

There is a lot to admire here, particularly in the performances, and Wilson's writing remains as relevant and affecting as ever. However, I couldn't help feeling that some of the theatrical ambition found in Act 2 could have been introduced earlier.

Ultimately, Fences is a moving and thought-provoking evening, with a particularly strong second half. For me, it was Act 2 that turned a solid production into a genuinely memorable one.

Running until 23 September at Leeds Playhouse, get your tickets here.

Read more: The Ballad of Johnny & June at Leeds Grand Theatre – From Ring of Fire to heartbreak | Review

Featured image - Supplied

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