Markus Leitz had counted down the days until his trip to London’s West End to see the musical Tina in heady anticipation. It was his second time watching the show about the pioneering rock’n’roll singer, but it took on a new significance because Tina Turner had died only hours before Leitz’s flight from Germany was due to leave.
“I didn’t even know if I should go, whether it’s the right thing to do, whether it’s respectful,” he said. “But then I thought, it’s what she probably would have wanted. The show must go on.”
Turner, born in Brownsville, Tennessee, had experienced ill-health over the last decade, suffering from a stroke in 2009, being diagnosed with intestinal cancer in 2016 and having a kidney transplant in 2017. In a statement on 24 May, her publicist said: “Tina Turner, the ‘Queen of rock’n’roll’, has died peacefully today at the age of 83 after a long illness in her home in Küsnacht near Zurich, Switzerland. With her, the world loses a music legend and a role model.”
On Thursday night, theatres across London dimmed their lights for two minutes at 7pm as a tribute to Turner. “The theatre world pays tribute to the immense talent and impact of Tina Turner,” said Hannah Essex, the co-chief executive of the Society of London Theatre and UK Theatre.
Leitz laid down a bright bunch of flowers against a photo of Turner outside the Aldwych theatre before the performance, where a small crowd had gathered to pay their respects. Some people put down cards, thanking Tina for her music, and others just stopped for a moment before moving on.
“I was very sad but not unprepared because people knew she was unwell and she herself said it’s OK to go, she had had a good life. She has always been a tough performer and that’s how I will remember her. Once in Frankfurt, there was a huge thunderstorm at a concert and she kept playing. She said, ‘you all sound a bit wet’ but she didn’t stop … She was inspirational really,” said Leitz.
As theatregoers queued along Aldwych, Hayley White and her mum, Laverne White, paid their respects outside the theatre. “It’s really tragic, but I think her music is eternal, so she will live on,” said Hayley.
Laverne had booked the tickets as a 40th birthday present for her daughter and they were shocked and saddened when they learned of Turner’s death. “Her music is iconic. You go to a wedding or anything and they always play Simply the Best or Proud Mary.
“We feel a bit privileged coming up because it is going to be special tonight,” she said.
Rosemary Smith and Kaz Kilderry stopped outside the memorial that was forming to take photos and be a “part of history”.
“She’s my idol. I was devastated when she died. I’m not a TV person, I’m not very savvy on the phone, but I put Tina Turner Proud Mary on all the time. I just loved her,” Smith said.
The two women, visiting from Queensland, Australia, said it was a coincidence that they got tickets for the show shortly before finding out Turner had died. “We’re here only for three days, and we thought, let’s go and see a show, let’s go and see Tina. We got two of the last tickets, how blessed are we?”
For Kilderry it will be an emotional night as Turner’s music reminds her of childhood. “We’re not as old as Tina, but we grew up with her music so there’s a lot of memories from when we were kids,” she said.
Laverne White, before going into the theatre, said she felt it was important that the theatre marks Turner’s death in some way. “I hope they say something at the beginning [of the show],” she said. “You’ve got older people there, younger people there. Everyone knows Tina Turner. Everybody. Her music is iconic.”
