Rating: ★★
Venue: Troubadour Wembley Park
I’m Every Woman: The Musical brings to life the untold story of Chaka Khan, one of the most influential voices of our time. Unapologetically bold and deeply human, the production explores her unwavering passion for civil rights, her defiance in the face of a toxic music industry, the harrowing road through addiction, and the unrelenting pressure of being a working mother. At its core, it’s a story of resilience, purpose, and power — a celebration of the woman behind the legend.
We all know the iconic discography of funk, soul and rock ‘n’ roll legend Chaka Khan, and the new musical ‘I’m Every Woman’ endeavours to bring her life to the stage.
It was difficult to settle on a star rating for this one, as the positive elements were strong, yet the weaker ones were so disappointing. In a time where there are a myriad of new shows, imaginative material, and emerging artists fighting for a place in the industry, a story using pre-existing songs needs to achieve a far higher standard to keep its place on the map.
The standout of the aforementioned positive elements was Ebony Clarke's choreography which filled the stage with dynamic movement at every opportunity. Unfortunately these opportunities seemed too frequent and disjointed, with a score that seemed to prioritize numbers as individual performances rather than as part of a whole piece.
The most egregious aspect was the book by Nia T. Hill. The dialogue was boring, often unnecessary, and incredibly stilted at times. With moments of genuine second hand embarrassment for the cast, there is clearly an artistic discrepancy between the danced vs. spoken scenes in this show.
In both instances, however, there were some strong ensemble performances. Professional debuts, multi-roling, and super speedy quick changes make for an impressive cohort. This statement does not, unfortunately, apply to everyone. Multiple actors were clearly unsure of entrances and exits, missed their props or cues, or could not keep up with some of the faster blocking.
Do black women, especially those mistreated by racism, misogyny and sexist systems need a platform? Yes, loudly. But perhaps with a slightly more creative dramaturgical team behind it.
With audibly tired voices, very little set by designer Sara Herks, and a decent lighting design (by Zoe Spurr) completely overshadowed by tacky projection, I'm Every Woman drags its audience through the fire for more than 2.5 hours at the Troubadour Wembley Theatre. Ain't nobody needs to run and book tickets for this one just yet!
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