These days, a biographical musical has become almost as much a marker of cultural immortality as a Grammy Award. Following productions such as Tina and the recently opened Sinatra, it is now Chaka Khan’s turn to have her life story translated to the stage in I’m Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.
With a book by Nia T. Hill, the show follows a familiar format. Beginning with Khan’s childhood, when she was still known as Yvette Stevens, it traces her upbringing alongside her mother and sisters, her absent father, a series of troubled and, in some cases, abusive relationships, and her eventual rise to stardom.
The show’s tagline promises “The Fame. The Fire. The Fight.” All three are present, but only in outline. I’m Every Woman moves briskly through decades of Khan’s life, checking off career milestones while interspersing the action with songs from her extensive catalogue alongside music associated with other figures who shaped her journey.
Nia T. Hill’s book skims through Khan’s life at such speed that few episodes are afforded the emotional weight they deserve. Significant relationships begin and end within moments, personal crises are introduced and resolved almost immediately, and pivotal turning points often feel like stepping stones to the next musical number rather than events that fundamentally shape the woman at the centre of the story.
The script populates Khan’s story with a parade of famous friends, collaborators and industry figures. While their appearances provide moments of recognition and occasional humour, many are sketched so broadly that they become little more than celebrity impressions. The result is entertaining in the moment but dramatically limiting, as the audience is given little sense of how these figures genuinely influenced Khan’s artistic development or personal life.
The inclusion of these famous figures does at least provide some welcome variety in the score. Alongside Chaka Khan classics, audiences are treated to Joni Mitchell’s ‘Big Yellow Taxi’ and, rather unexpectedly, Christina Aguilera’s ‘Beautiful’. The latter may feel an unusual fit, but it contributes to the evening’s broad celebration of female artists and influences.
You may leave having learned something new about Khan, whether her long battle with addiction, her close relationship with Prince, or the distance between her and her daughter during parts of her career. Yet for a production centred on such a complex and influential artist, these revelations rarely move beyond the level of interesting facts. There is remarkably little sense of how these experiences shaped Khan’s identity, artistry or relationships.
More frustratingly, the production never fully explores the systemic barriers Khan faced as a Black woman navigating the music industry. Themes of discrimination, exploitation and silencing are repeatedly referenced, yet they are rarely dramatised with sufficient depth. The audience is frequently told about these struggles rather than invited to experience them alongside Khan, which diminishes both their emotional impact and their relevance to her remarkable achievements. A lengthy scene in which several female characters discuss having their voices taken away feels particularly heavy-handed, delivering its message through exposition rather than drama.
As with many musical biographies, it is ultimately the music that carries the show. Under Racky Plews’ direction, the musical numbers arrive with energy and conviction, providing the emotional highs that the book too often struggles to generate. ‘Higher Love’, performed by Alexandra Burke and Chris Breistein, is a particular highlight, while ‘Say a Little Prayer’ and, naturally, ‘I’m Every Woman’ bring the audience to life.
During the first act, Sara Perks’ design occasionally feels constrained by its reliance on digital projections. In a venue the size of Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre, there are moments when the production appears visually underpowered, particularly during scenes that might have benefited from a stronger physical presence on stage. However, the second act demonstrates the potential of the approach. The projections become increasingly ambitious and are especially effective in visualising Khan’s struggles with addiction, creating some of the show’s most striking imagery.
The cast are universally strong. Alexandra Burke possesses the vocal power necessary for the role and delivers Khan’s catalogue with obvious confidence and technical assurance. Yet the performance never quite penetrates beneath the public persona. While Burke convincingly captures the star, the script and performance together struggle to reveal the complexities, contradictions and vulnerabilities of the woman behind the music. Ashley Stroud impresses as Taka Boom, bringing warmth and charisma to the role, while Miles Anthony Daley proves a crowd-pleaser as Prince.
At over two and a half hours, I’m Every Woman is hardly a short musical, which makes its uneven pacing all the more puzzling. Key moments in Khan’s life feel rushed while other sections drift by with relatively little dramatic purpose. The production spends so much time covering the breadth of Khan’s story that it rarely pauses long enough to explore its depth.
As a jukebox celebration of Chaka Khan’s greatest hits, the production succeeds admirably. As a portrait of one of contemporary music’s most influential artists, it feels frustratingly incomplete. The performances, music and visual spectacle ensure an entertaining night out, but the show never quite uncovers the depth of character, conflict or emotional insight required to elevate it beyond the increasingly familiar conventions of the bio-musical.
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