Melbourne Reviews

It’s been almost 15 years since The Book of Mormon premiered on Broadway and even longer since Joseph Smith ‘discovered’ the golden plates that provided the inspiration for the show. Written by Robert Lopez, alongside those of South Park infamy, creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, Australia was first treated to/traumatised by The Book of Mormon in 2017.

The deliberately provocative and decidedly controversial musical that poked fun at all organised religion used the fantastical foundations of Mormonism as a pathway into the hypocrisy of modern society. What was remarkable however, was that instead of being ostracised, The Book of Mormon was celebrated. Somehow these two creators, better known for the foul-mouthed cartoon children from South Park, had hit exactly the right chord with theatregoers. The Book of Mormon was a hit, praised for its hot take and snappy showtunes.

Now, I will say something controversial. When I first saw this show in 2016 on the West End, I hated it. I thought it lacked the balance between high- and low-brow humour that Parker and Stone’s previous works had achieved. I simply didn’t find it funny.

I’m delighted to report that I was wrong. Ten years later, and a buzzing Princess Theatre brought me into this mad Mormon world with such joy. Yes, it was still offensive, but the brilliance of the script was brought to life beautifully by Sean Johnston as the Mormon poster child, Elder Price, and Nick Cox as the hapless Elder Cunningham. The odd couple are thrust together on their Mormon mission and sent to Uganda for two years, where things quickly descend into chaos.

As has been the calling card of Parker and Stone, nothing is off-limits, every obscenity is uttered (some in combinations I didn’t think possible) and every marginalised group is further marginalised until there is nothing left to tear down, creating a strange sense of equality.

Johnston sings his absolute heart out, especially during 'I Believe', bringing sincerity to lyrics like “I believe that God lives on a planet called Kolob!” Joined by an incredibly talented ensemble, who not only sing, dance and act, but also genuinely look like they're having the time of their lives up there. Tom Struik as the closeted homosexual, Elder McKinley is a standout, tap dancing his way into the hearts of the audience.

While each character has their moment to shine, including Paris Leveque as the beautiful Ugandan villager Nabulungi, it is the ensemble numbers where the show really sings. From ‘Hello’ to ‘Spooky Mormon Hell’ and so many others, The Book of Mormon was an unexpectedly hilarious night at the theatre. After all the trash talking I’ve done for 10 years, this is my formal apology to The Book of Mormon musical creators and my invitation to let yourself be surprised by this painfully uncomfortable and ridiculously clever show.