ON a six-month UK tour following a successful West End season, this brilliant musical tells the story of Ike and Tina Turner.

Featuring a superb six-piece live band, four sassy Ikettes backing singers, and utterly compelling performances by Chris Tummings and Emi Wokoma as the troubled Turners, their showbiz marriage and careers are carefully explored.

Throughout the early 1960s, the Turners worked the American soul/blues clubs – even playing Harlem’s Apollo Theatre while Tina was eight months pregnant – but without real success, their music “too black for a white audience, too white for blacks”.

The breakthrough comes with the Phil Spector-produced River Deep Mountain High, a pounding pop anthem, emphasising Tina’s phenomenal voice yet eschewing Ike’s musical talent.

Throughout the 1970s – conveyed by meticulous costumes, wigs, and backdrop newspaper cuttings – the hits continued, albeit great cover versions of Proud Mary, Honky-Tonk Woman and a lyrically revealing ballad treatment of the Beatles’ Help.

However, as the belligerent Ike turns to adultery, cocaine and beating his wife, Tina turns to Buddhism for peace of mind, provoking Ike’s response: “I ain’t having no devil-worship in my house!”

As Ike’s drug-fuelled violence continues, Tina is hospitalised after an overdose, and the inevitable split is underscored with the ironic Respect.

While Ike gets arrested, Tina’s solo career soars with What’s Love Got To Do With It, Nutbush City Limits, and the show-stopping Simply The Best.

A fascinating narrative with tremendous music, Soul Sister runs until Saturday.