Interviews: Hit The Theatre meets stars of London's West End stages

Emi Wokoma and Chris Tummings sat down with HIT THE THEATRE to discuss SOUL SISTER in which they star as Ike and Tina Turner. The show is opening at the Savoy Theatre having had a successful spell at the Hackney Empire and charts the relationship between the two. One of the major highlights of the show is the ending where the audience are treated to a full blown 20 minute Tina Turner concert which has the whole audience on their feet. Here’s what the two stars of the show had to say to us...

CT (CHRIS TUMMINGS) - Absolutely looking forward to it. We’ve had a two month break, but we all feel really ready to get it back on stage.

EW (EMI WOKOMA) - I played one of the dynamites in Hairspray, but one of my first jobs after leaving Drama School was a UK Tour of Dancing in the Streets. This is my first lead West End role!
CT - I’ve been acting since ‘79. I’ve done quite a bit of TV and a few films. I’m a jobbing actor!

CT - There will be a difference between the two shows. A few bits have been rewritten, a few tweaks here and there.
EW - But we’re all the same, and the show will be stronger than ever!

EW - My favourite is definitely, ‘Think it’s gonna work out fine’, because it’s jokey, and cheeky, and it’s at the right point in the show, and you get to see their relationship develop and the kind of banter between them.
CT - My favourite part of the show is the song Help, everybody knows it’s a Beatles song, but the first time Emi sang it, it was in the middle of the stage show, and I had to stop and listen to her Emi sing the song because it was absolutely fantastic, I’d never heard it like that before.

CT - I like to think that we have a natural chemistry together, and we try and bring that chemistry to the roles as well.
EW - I think its important to have that chemistry because the everyone usually knows the show and knows the kind of relationship Ike and Tina had, and Chris and I are so close we can often bring things out that the audience might not have known before.
CT - We spoke about Ike and Tina’s relationship, and because of our openness with each other we were able to really get under the skin of their relationship. We will never know the real truth about Ike and Tina’s relationship, but what we do well is portray our version of that truth.

EW - Well, the show is open to everybody! So by all means, if you’re out there Tina, come along and go for it - but just don’t tell me beforehand!
CT - Of course we’d love for Tina to come along. I was contacted by Ike’s daughter Mia Turner, and I really hope that she will come as well, because I really think that we’re portraying their story very well, and her parents would be proud.

CT - I think Soul Sister is a great girly show, it’s a great woman’s show, but it really appeals to everybody, all age groups, all colours, everybody loves it! We have a five minute concert at the end and they’re all jumping up in the air and dancing. They really enjoy it.

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