Simon Gross reviews Soul Sister at Hackney Empire

This is a big, vivid musical with a blistering central performance by Emi Wokoma as Tina Turner.

Wokoma, practically a newcomer, rises to the challenge of playing the living legend.

If you are a Tina fan like myself and appreciate sweet soul music and prefer theatre when it comes as a rock concert, then you will love this show.

In 1956 in St Louis Anna Mae Bullock, 17, dressed in her Sunday best - coat and ankle socks - auditions for Ike Turner, ace guitarist and band leader.

It’s not long until Turner realises he has a talent on his hands which is going to transform his fortune.

Anna Mae is renamed Tina and falls in love with Ike.

The rest is history they form a 20-year partnership in which the pair and Ike's band the Kings Of Rhythm become the hardest working outfit in show business.

In the process Tina, a startlingly confident and compelling performer, suffers Ike's numerous infidelities and his fist for the sake of their great craft.

After she leaves him and endures a period in the wilderness, she makes a comeback and is triumphant as a solo act in 1985.

And for me it’s here in the the second act of the show when it really starts rock.

Wokoma belts out all the popular hits - The Best, What’s Love Got to Do with It and Proud Mary - and has the audience on its feet.

She is backed by an excellent six-piece band under the musical direction of Sean Green.

The Ikettes are butifully portrayed by Ngo Ngofa, Joanne Sandi, and Ria Horsford.

Chris Tumming plays the cocksure Ike Turner with a dose of a panto villain thrown in giving the audience plenty of opportunity to boo and hiss.

However this show belongs to Wokoma who burns up the stage with charisma proving the legend that is Tina Turner still rocks on.

Soul Sister runs at Hackney Empire until May 5.

For tickets visit hackneyempire.co.uk