TINA — A Tropical Love Story

TINA — A Tropical Love Story, written, directed, produced, and performed by Ben Graetz (aka Miss Ellaneous), is a heartfelt, high-energy blend of cabaret, drag, storytelling, and music that pays tribute not only to the indomitable Tina Turner but to the communities and personal histories she has inspired.

The evening traces a biographical thread through Turner’s catalogue, with Graetz as both guide and interpreter. Graetz is a witty, generous, and playful Tina; his charisma is undeniable and his storytelling anchors the show with warmth and honesty. A series of costume changes keeps the visual energy shifting, while his lip sync performances, particularly a ferociously joyful rendition of I Want to Take You Higher, capture Tina’s fire with both reverence and cheek.

Graetz is joined by a dynamic ensemble of performers, each bringing their own distinct flavour. Roymata Holmes leans into comedy and sensuality with a burlesque-inflected Private Dancer, and later unleashes Turner’s iconic strut in an exuberant Simply the Best.

Garret Lyon, a standout vocalist with undeniable star quality, delivers a soaring I Can’t Stand the Rain, his voice matched by evocative rain-inspired lighting. His duet work with Kristal West in We Don’t Need Another Hero (Thunderdome) is especially compelling, their harmonies grounded in West’s powerhouse delivery. West, in turn, all but blows the roof off with River Deep – Mountain High, her volume, control, and soulful expression so commanding the microphone struggles to handle her power.

The ensemble is rounded out by Olivia Adams and Cleopatra Pryce, whose backup dancing injects a joyful punch of movement and flair, nowhere more so than in Proud Mary. The choreography, by Sani Townson, is clever in its evocation of Turner’s trademark style. It is sharp, kinetic, and full of attitude without slipping into pastiche.

Technically, the production’s lighting and video design is a strong partner to the performances, carving mood and shape into the space and amplifying the emotion of key moments. The rain effect during Lyon’s ballad is a perfect example of the design’s ability to elevate without distracting.

As a piece of cabaret theatre, TINA — A Tropical Love Story succeeds because it is both celebratory and personal. It refuses to be merely impersonation or homage; instead, it becomes a story of influence and legacy, of how a First Nations boy in Darwin could be transformed by the voice and energy of a global icon. The result is a work that is at once camp, moving, and defiantly alive.

Rounding out a show that’s packed with fun, the company shimmies into Nutbush City Limits, and suddenly the audience is no longer seated! Everyone’s up, dancing in the aisles, grinning, clapping, stomping out the familiar choreography in a moment that feels genuinely communal, joyful, and utterly fun. Graetz and company ought to be commended for delivering a production that feels like a love letter not just to Tina Turner but to drag, community, and to the sheer joy of performance. It is, quite simply, a show with soul.

Kitty Goodall

Photography by Joseph Mayers