By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2

WHEN? Sunday 2 August (matinee), opens 4 August and runs through 27 September 2026 RUNTIME: 160 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)

X Factor winner Burke (Chicago, Phoenix Theatre) is Chaka Khan and encores with a mash-up of her biggest hits – I Feel For You, Ain’t Nobody and I’m Every Woman – and it’s a joyous end to the story of a complicated woman born ahead of her time in the surprise hit show of the summer.

• Read on for reasons including how we were expecting to see Burke’s understudy

It’s particularly pleasing because 10 days before this show we received an email saying: ‘Due to a schedule change, the role of Chaka Khan will now be played by Jordan Frazier’ and giving us the option to exchange our 2nd row tickets.

The audience whooped in celebration when Burke did actually appear and that set the tone for their appreciation of a show which tells Khan’s backstory in not always flattering terms using both her music and that of the last 60 years or so.

Along the way we discover Khan’s role in the Black Panther movement, which we definitely weren’t expecting, and a hilarious turn by Miles Anthony Daley as I Feel For You writer Prince as well as Khan’s struggle with drugs and the effect it has on her daughter.

Khan rails against the racism all around her but also the way the music business treats women as she tries to take back control of her career at numerous points.

We’ve always loved Burke and have seen her act in numerous roles but it’s in this 1, in a part that she originates, that we really feel we can see what a talented actress she’s grown into.

It helps that she’s surrounded by such a talented crew of singers and dancers but we particularly enjoyed the part played by Chrissie Bhima who’s a real livewire of a best friend who doesn’t always act in Khan’s best interests.

Ashley Stroud as Khan’s younger sister Taka Boom is also a name to watch out for in the future.

Our favourite Khan song was always Prince’s UK charttopper I Feel For You and the performance of it recalls the iconic video and its execution is simply thrilling.

The ambition of I’m Every Woman reminds of the much less good Sinatra currently running at the Aldwych Theatre.

But it’s far deeper, more emotionally affecting and ultimately more joyous than we were expecting so we think this Chaka Khan musical is our surprise hit of the summer.

• Main pictures via Facebook courtesy I’m Every Woman Tickets
• Have you seen Alexandra Burke before and what did you think of her? Let us know what you thought in the comments below
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