Long ago, in the year of our Lord, 326AD, a great prophet is leader of the Nephite people in ancient Upstate New York. His name... Is Mormon.
Centuries later, the account of how they met Jesus Christ will be found, sparking the fastest growing religion today, a church that even now sends followers out in pairs all over the world on a two-year evangelising mission.
Excitement is high amongst a group of newly graduated Elders, this is their chance to see and heal the world, spreading the word, changing lives through The Book of Mormon.
Elder Price “the smartest, best, most deserving Elder the center has ever seen“ feels “that his mission will be something incredible” and is praying to be sent to the most wonderful, magical place he ever saw, Orlando, home to SeaWorld, Disney and putt putt golfing.
He is understandably disturbed then to be posted to Uganda and to be paired with the somewhat awkward, friendless and “weird” Elder Cunningham. Lacking in self-esteem and desperately wanting to fit in with his peers Cunningham has a little problem in that he makes things up.
Things go quickly off script when they realise that Africa is nothing like the Lion King. The village of Kitguli is ravaged by war, poverty, famine, AIDS and female genital mutilation, and that’s only the start of it. To get through these troubled times the villagers throw their hands up to the sky and say “Hasa Diga Eebowai”, the translation of which makes it highly unlikely that they are going to embrace the missionaries’ message.
Price is not put off that Christian missionaries have been unsuccessful (they have a little more pizzazz, a touch of rock and roll and a blond-haired, blue-eyed All-American Prophet), but feels if not ‘ripped off’ at least overwhelmed by the fact that his colleagues have failed to win over a single person.
One such person is the young, impressionable and optimistic Nabulungi, who thinks that if she could let herself believe she would be on the next bus to paradise, her life wouldn’t be so shitty as salvation has a name, “Sal Tlay Ka Siti”.
When leader Price abandons his faith, shaken by the maniacal General Butt-F****ing Naked (because that’s how he likes to kill and drink blood for power), it will be up to follower Cunningham to man up and attempt to save the day. The problem being that his imaginative take on things might lead to lead to the villager’s adopting a novel and unconventional interpretation of the scriptures.
Taking shots at everything from structured religion to world issues and the musical theatre genre itself, risqué doesn’t even start to cover it. This satirical musical is lewd, rude, crude and exceptionally funny.
While on the surface it pokes fun at musicals it has all the elements of a great one, blending light-hearted numbers with extremely dark themes, catchy songs with outrageous lyrics and numbers ranging through tender power ballad, rock anthems, a dream sequence, hell, there is even glitzy tap-dance break. It’s all Impeccably choreographed and exceptionally well performed with enormous energy throughout while looking sumptuous with spectacular scenic design, costumes and lighting.
First produced on Broadway in 2011 the multi Tony, Olivier and Grammy awarded show is still one of the most popular musicals in the West End. While the show has been developed over many years it’s not hard to imagine Matt Stone and Trey Parker (creators of South Park) spitballing the cheeky original ideas. Most have weathered well but the parodying of the arrogant white “redeemers” and the westernised false view of Africa with surreally, intentionally stereotyped characters sits a little uncomfortably. That said it gives the audience the increasingly rare opportunity to guiltily laugh at something that they might instinctively feel is “wrong”.
This “atheist's love letter to religion” is a divisive, subversive, unconventional musical like no other and it would be a sin to miss it.
Show times: 15 October to 2 November 2024 at 7.30pm. Matinee performances Friday and Saturday at 2.30pm.
Tickets: £15 to £105 (packages available).
Suitability: 14+ (No Under 5s, under 16s must be accompanied by an adult). Contains strong language, adult themes, strobe lighting and bangs.