Despite
ticket prices being eye wateringly expensive, I enjoyed this show immensely and
would gladly see it again. Trey Parker and Matt Stone of South Park fame, and
Robert Lopez (Wicked) collaborated on this irreverent, incredibly rude, witty,
edgy but overall laugh out loud hilarious musical. This is definitely not one
for the kids!
The smart
all American boy Elder Price, top of his class at Mormon School, idol to the
other disciples, is paired up on his first missionary post with the very
enthusiastic but rough around the edges Elder Cunningham, who has never had a
real friend and has a tendency to ‘make stuff up’. Rather than a posting to
Orlando, as Price dreams of, they are to be posted to Africa to spread the
Mormon word and convert the locals. However, the locals are less than receptive
to their idealistic teachings, having other things to consume their time such
as Aids, evil warlords and poverty. Let’s just say their jolly welcome song
‘Hasa Diya Eebowi’ definitely doesn’t mean ‘no worries for the rest of your
life’ (Google it!). Elder Price’s fall from grace is brutal and quite
spectacular, and things only start to look up when the ebullient Cunningham
starts to ‘make things up’ again.
As well as
the sharp writing, the costume and design of this show deserves heavy praise,
never better illustrated than in the number ‘Mormon Hell Dream’ , an exuberant
barnstormer of a number that is represented by heaven, hell and everything in
between, even the odd Jedi!
The cast are
brilliant, they work so hard and their timing and individual performances are
perfect.
The show is
so edgy and irreverent that I wonder how it ever got greenlighted in America, a
nation not always known for its open mindedness especially when it comes to
religion, but I’m very glad it did because I don’t think I stopped laughing
(and occasionally gasping!) all the way through. In a nice touch the Mormons
themselves have actually taken out advertising space in the programme, kudos to
them.
All in all this really was one of the best and funniest
shows I have ever seen, not for the faint hearted or the young, but the rest of
us can have a ball (you may however have to sell a kidney to afford a good
seat)
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