Sunday, April 3, 2011

Review: The Book of Mormon


One Sentence Summary:   Musical comedy about two young mormons who are sent on a two year mission to Uganda.

Trivia:   This project was a collaboration between the creator of Avenue Q and the creators of South Park. The star is also the guy who played William Barfee in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.

Best thing about it:   The music was awesome. I found it really memorable and, much like Avenue Q, laughed out loud at just about every song. I will definitely be buying the album. Favourite moments include the opening song with dozens of wide eyed mormons ringing doorbells, the massive tap dance number about suppressing unwanted feelings, and the Hakuna Matata-esque African chorus number that centres around a comedic way of coping in difficult situations.

What they could work on:   When you know who wrote it, you expect crass. But this pushed a different button because of its setting in Uganda: real world issues. At times I felt the references to AIDS, disease, and famine could almost be educational for the insulated young American audience, and the joke was definitely more on the mormons than the Ugandans. But, there were a few points when it did go too far in making light of real situations that are definitely not funny.

Verdict:  The freshest new show on Broadway. Go out of your way to see this, but not if you're faint of heart. 9.5 / 10

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