The Bushnell, Hartford, CT
through March 30, 2014
by Shera Cohen
Most potential audience members of “The Book of Mormon” have
assumptions before setting foot in the theatre. Solely based on the playbill’s
credits -- the team that founded “South Park” is the same who created “Mormon”
-- expectations include: hold no one or anything sacred, lambaste all
ethnicities, demean sexual orientation, and ‘crucify’ every religion.
Okay, then why see such rubbish? The answer to that question
is the same to...why does “South Park’s” 15 year run continue? The answer --
it’s funny, very funny. Good clean fun, it’s not. It’s the funny stuff that you
wouldn’t dare say yourself or perhaps admit to enjoying.
The solid plot follows two Mormon training school graduates,
Elders Price and Cunningham, on their mission of converting souls. Their
assignment: Uganda. Head-of-the-class Price is especially bummed because he had
his heart set on Orlando. Disneyworld is a running theme through the musical,
as is repeated maligning of “The Lion King.”
The stage is essentially populated by white boys in white
short-sleeved shirts whose sacred chanting of “I Am Africa” is utterly
ridiculous, and motley dressed black Ugandans whose rendition of Mormon history
is a hoot.
In the midst of this R-rated story, is perhaps surprisingly
some beautiful music. Taking the notes by themselves, “Baptist Me” and “I
Believe” are lovely pieces. But, alas, the salacious lyrics outnumber the music
in importance. That seems to have been the creators’ plan for their audiences
-- don’t leave the theatre humming, leave the theatre laughing. Each Act has
its show-stopper. In Act I, the rockin’ “Man Up” praises “The Man” Jesus. The
deep red special effects and nefarious dancing historical characters of “Spooky
Mormon Hell Dream” justifiably stop Act II.
“The Book of Mormon” boasts a young and energetic cast
blasphemously opening the pages of this wonderfully campy and hokey script for
an appreciative audience that willingly lets raucous humor trump divinity for
at least two hours. It is difficult to imagine a more professional, deftly
executed, swift paced, colorfully designed, and creatively choreographed
musical on a Broadway stage.
