Review: The Book Of Mormon – Prince of Wales Theatre, London
It’s hard to recall when a new musical opening has been met with such anticipation in the West End. Yes, recent openings may have garnered plenty of press attention but that’s often been on the back of celebrity casting or TV talent shows. The Book of Mormon arrives at the Prince of Wales on a tide of expectation, bolstered by an impressive advance box office and almost fanatical fan devotion. Can the show actually live up to the hype? Yes it can. Does America’s home-grown religion transfer this side of the Atlantic? Yes it does.
Though The Book Of Mormon parodies the good elders of Salt Lake City, at its heart the faith doesn’t matter. While the church in question undoubtedly provides the authors with much source material, it turns out to be a surprisingly effective, and often touching, look at the power of humanity to tackle life’s hardships.
Of course its rude, crude and highly offensive – you’d expect nothing less from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone (together with Avenue Q co-creator Robert Lopez), but that profanity is beautifully observed. While the show comes with a parental advisory over language and scenes certainly pull no punches, it is perversely all done in the best taste. The faith is mocked but it’s carried out with just enough tongue in cheek.
It’s not just the Mormon faith that Parker, Stone and Lopez are poking fun at, this is also an affectionate lampoon of the classic Broadway musical itself. There are plenty of opportunities for musical fans to spot in jokes and references with shades of Wicked, Little Shop of Horrors, The Sound Of Music and The King and I woven into the score. Perhaps as an antidote for the saccharine sweetness of Disney, The Lion King comes in for particular ridicule, culminating in the beautifully observed anthemic ‘I Am Africa’.
The score itself surprises with its depth, the witty lyrics one would expect but the musical tone of the piece more than matches the word play. From big song and dance numbers to powerful solo numbers there’s a variety here to match any classic Broadway songbook.
With any parody there’s a danger of overplaying the comedy by Casey Nicholaw and Trey Parker’s direction (Nicholaw also choreographs) draws out universally pitch perfect performances across the company.
Leading the company as narcissistic, Orlando obsessed Elder Price, Gavin Creel provides the ultimate square jawed, sparkling white toothed missionary. There’s a chilling ruthlessness to his religious fervour, underpinned by something darker- a darkness that rises to the fore when his faith is tested. As Elder Price’s unlikely partner, Jared Gertner’s Elder Cunningham is a delight. Packed with more energy than a shook up bottle of (forbidden) cola, Gertner’s initial buffoonery is replaced by a more tender side and it’s impossible not to root for this unlikely hero.
There’s fine work from Alexia Khadime as convert Nabulungi and Chris Jarman as the imposing general. It is though hard to spot a single weak link in the entire company. Nicholaw’s choreography is delivered with step perfect precision as are the vocally performances across the entire company.
From the opening notes of ‘Hello’ to the refrain at the curtain call, this reviewer hasn’t laughed so much in years. The Book of Mormon manages to be both an affectionate tribute to the classic Broadway musical while reinventing the genre into something fresh and new. It will shock, it will probably offend some but for the majority it will provide two and a half hours of pure comic delight and you can praise whatever God you wish for that! I’m a convert!