Book of Mormon Musical - A Review

  

 

I must admit when I first heard about Trey Parker & Matt Stone adapting the Book of Mormon for the Broadway Stage - I was nervously excited. This could either be either the most interesting musical ever or it could be a complete train wreck. Surprisingly, it's neither.

What the Book of Mormon Musical really is, is a straightforward song and dance production peppered with a few ribald jokes, lots of bad words, and mostly forgettable tunes. Casey Nicholow's energetic choreography is the highlight. Several of his numbers fully realize the absurd juxtaposition of Mormons on Broadway.  It's quite a sight to see a dozen missionaries, donned in white starched short sleeve shirts and black slacks, dancing in unison. These moments are simply terrific.

Also terrific are the actors. Josh Gad in particular establishes himself as a Broadway Seth Rogin - funny and sympathetic. He may be the find of the show.

The book has an inspired premise.

A mormon missionary, Elder Price (Andrew Rannels), hoping to be sent to Orlando for his mission, is instead sent to Uganda. There he finds natives stricken with AIDS and starvation reluctant to embrace the healing power of Joseph Smith's book. Prices' co-missionary, Elder Cunningham (Gad), starts making up a new version of the Book of Mormon that proves more effective in gaining converts.

It's all rather silly and mostly harmless fun. None of the bite of South Park or Team America is here. All the jabs are rather harmless, and perhaps a bit overly respectful of religion and Mormonism. Even the song, Spooky Mormon Hell Dream (a highlight) is about hell, so, how offensive can that be?

That was my frustration with the show. The Book of Mormon Musical wasn't a genre busting, edgy, and polarizing Broadway production that challenged its audience. That's what I was hoping for.

The biggest challenge for the audience is getting a ticket, as it is sold out for most of the summer. The audience I saw looked surprisingly pedestrian, not what I pictured an edgy South Park crowd would look like. They could have all been at Anything Goes the night before.

This is because Parker, Stone, and Robert Lopez have created a show the fits snugly in the tradition of numerous other Broadway productions and was a nice night out at the theater. Nothing to be the least bit embarrassed or apologetic about as a debut production.  A solid B+.

Now if only I could remember a single song melody...

Comments

[C H]

Well ! Obviously this reviewer has a real tin ear, and should not be reviewing musicals !
"The Book of Mormon" has one of the most infectious scores for years.
You still have "Hello! ", "Two by Two", "Turn it Off" and "I Believe" going round your head at three o'clock in the morning.

A star is born in Andrew Rannells, who's voice is just amazing, and Josh Gad id both touching and funny.

A great, great score.

[Jim Stalker]

Thanks for your comments. Andrew and Josh were both terrific.

As for my tin ear, well, that is a matter of opinion of course.

I just didn't hear anything like "Seasons of Love" from Rent which for me is the high watermark of musicals for the past decade.

I also like Spring Awakening whose "I Believe" is close to a classic whereas "I Believe" from The Book of Mormon is more suitable for Dr. Demento (if anyone remembers him).

Regardless, to each his own. The other night I watched West Side Story - not THAT had a score...

[Dan]

Anything that makes fun of Mormons is funny in my book.