I’m Every Woman, the latest jukebox musical in town – this one celebrating the life and work of Chaka Khan – is a very long show. Last night’s press opening was made even longer by a 35-minute wait for Chaka to enter the auditorium.
Now staged at the Troubadour Wembley Park theatre after being originally set last year at the Peacock, I’m Every Woman feels a little lost at times in this massive space. We were seated near the front at stage right, so had intriguing views of costume changes and the mechanics of setting up scenes to come.
Alexandra Burke plays Chaka, leading a cast at the top of their game vocally through the 29 songs that thread through the show. It’s a story including some plot points well-hewn in bio-musicals: abusive marriage, drug addiction, career slump.
It is also a story about a black woman making it big in an industry run by white men, and there isn’t quite enough of that. Young Chaka is associated with the Black Panthers, and later her vocals are removed from a duet with a white artist at the insistence of her record label.
There are many references and appearances to other popular music artists during the show, all introduced by their full names in conversation in a way that never happens in real life (“hello, Stevie Wonder”, “well, Miles Davis”).
Joni Mitchell (Sophie Earl) is a constant, supportive presence in the earlier years before being replaced by Prince (Miles Anthony Daley) as Chaka’s bestie. Both encouraged her in her career and lifted her up, but Prince’s two-decade influence seems to be gone in a matter of minutes before his death.
The sound design (by Chris Whybrow) is exemplary, with every word clearly heard, while music tracks never overpower. Staging (set design by Sara Perks, video design by Alex King & Ben Foley for Buckloop) is heavily reliant on video projection and sliding walls that sometimes reduce visibility from seats not immediately central, but there are some inventive moments during “Ain’t Nobody”, “I Put A Spell On You” (for Joni), and “Higher Love” (for Chaka and Steve Winwood, played by Chris Breistein).
Chaka has an ever-present friend and enabler (Chrissie Bhima) who is part-narrator, part – well, you’ll see in Act Two. She is stunning in the more off-kilter numbers such as “Like Sugar” and a conduit for the more difficult aspects of Chaka’s story.
Chaka’s sister, Taka Boom (a brilliant Ashley Stroud) and daughter Milani (Charlotte St Croix, who makes an impact here and as an embryonic Whitney Houston) are depicted alongside both her husbands. Hassan Khan (Jelani Munroe) and Richard Holland (Daley again, excellent) are both sweet to start with but abusive later. Recognising the impact of domestic abuse, the programme carries a page devoted to the charity Women’s Aid.
The wardrobe and WHAM teams, led by Charlotte Innes and Katie Ross, with designs by Natalie Pryce and Jess Plews & Jo Smedley for JJ Wigs, are to be applauded for their work in crafting numerous looks across five decades. There may be the odd dodgy moustache, but the wigs are spectacular.
Nia T Hill, Racky Plews, and Ebony Clarke are writer, director, and choreographer on I’m Every Woman. There is a lot of high energy in the movement, but the writing is often the ‘tell’ type and sometimes flattens the emotional impact.
I’d probably place it somewhere between Sinatra and The Cher Show in terms of bio-jukebox shows, so I am giving this 3.5 stars.
You will enjoy the songs, but the show could easily survive a trim in running time – it is currently 2hr 45 – by deciding which story it really wants to tell. Several plot threads here could be a show of their own.
I’m Every Woman continues at the Troubadour Wembley Park.
Photo credit: Danny Kaan