REVIEW: The Book of Mormon (National Theatre)
I hate South Park.
Really, I do. I think it’s a low-brow vehicle for racism and potty humor, and one can only imagine what sort of grimy invisible hands are keeping it afloat. Its attempts at “satire” are malignant at best, and for the most part just give its more immature viewers excuses to act similarly.
So why the hell do I love The Book of Mormon so much? Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park and writers of Mormon alongside Broadway titan Robert Lopez, dropped this now-classic show in 2011 (with no tryout!) to instant acclaim. Covering the story of two Mormon missionaries who get dropped in a war-torn Ugandan village, tickets on Broadway still regularly fetch $100+ for “cheap” seats at face-value, and it is approaching its 15th year on the Way. It’s offensive, too—people have been known to walk out, whether it be for its depictions of Africans, offenses at the Latter-Day Saints church, or other gruesomities like scrotal maggots. It’s not family friendly in the slightest, to put it frankly.
Nevertheless, it persists. Now I’ve seen the show before, most recently during its last stint at the Kennedy Center when I was in college. Now it’s back in the District, at the National, for its 2022-launched non-Equity tour. Has it lost its mojo, or is it still Something Incredible?
Book/Music
In case you needed a refresher on Bobby Lopez: Coco, Avenue Q, Frozen, In Transit (quite slept-on, that one). If somehow you haven’t heard of any of those, you should be ashamed for lying. It should then go without saying that his bubbly, lavish pop songwriting is peak in Mormon, delivering nonstop earworms and hummable jingles. (It’s also apparent that Parker and Stone would rather be writing musicals than their silly TV show, because even the music was a joint effort.) The humor in its songwriting is punchy, often relying on zingers and one-liners for comedic effect over shock value (which, IS there, make no mistake). Genital mutilation is but just one of many topics played out for comedy, which to me felt more of a statement in how far the envelope can be pushed for acceptable stories in mainstream theatre than an actual laugh. Even still, its use of African tropes has fallen under scrutiny, especially in an era full of racial reckoning. In the aftermath of the George Floyd uprisings, the show saw minor rewrites; having listened to the recording several hundred times by now, I was eager to see what had changed. The production itself claims that there is a “greater” focus on the villagers than the missionaries, but I failed to notice anything to that effect. What I did notice was certain non-racial, political corrections. “Listen to this fat white guy” as sung by the villagers in act one closer “Man Up” now refers to Elder Cunningham as “weird”, and Nabulungi’s “texts” are altered from the bit about her writing literal notes and calling them texts (she now has an older generation iPad that she posts to Facebook with). While having the Ugandans be more tech savvy than they were originally is certainly An Attempt, this saps some of the humor from the scene. To replace it, I would have included an in-joke of posting all their things on WhatsApp, the actual app of choice for this part of the world. (Ask any of your African/Indian friends about the wonderful world of WhatsApp auntie culture). These changes still don’t fundamentally change the show from being its natural uncouth self, for better or worse. On this viewing, though, I found myself thinking the missionaries were definitely the idiots of the bunch, to which I guess that’s sort of what they were going for. I get why the Church was initially apprehensive about the piece, since it really exposes them for being a colonial enterprise. Perhaps they’re hoping the average viewer picks that up with the revisions? 7/10
Acting
I’ve been burned before. Gaudy shows that attract millions on Broadway hit the road as a non-Equity tour, charging Broadway prices and delivering substandard product. The good news: this production of Mormon is packed with delightful performances that are worth the price of admission. The twin Sams of McLellan (Elder Price) and Nackman (Cunningham) are a joy to watch and totally encompass the brotherly dichotomy needed for their co-leading roles. Keke Nesbitt’s Nabulungi is gorgeously sung, too, making this visit to Uganda quite to par with any other production you may have seen. They know how to pick them! 8/10
Production
Mormon’s appeal is also its high-budget creative elements, the kinds that can often take a hit when hitting the road. While for this tour there are some noticeable changes to the build quality of some props and costumes, it doesn’t stop it from being a spectacle overall. Casey Nicholaw’s choreography remains some of his best, and his co-direction with Parker is pitch-perfect. It knows exactly what it wants to be and does it excellently. 9/10
Viz
“God’s Favorite Musical” has never had a marketing problem. By attaching it to its South Park progenators, people instantly know what to expect. But by also sticking with it a glittery, musical flair across all of its ads, it becomes an icon of what “Broadway” means, whether or not they know the premise. It’s a great job all around outside of the actual theatre; but then once inside you’re greeted by a majestic, templesque framing around a celestial painting from Heavenly Father’s universe. It’s gorgeous and inviting, and is a joy to see no matter how many times you see it. It’s definitely one of my favorite show footprints. 10/10
Verdict
Mormon proves why it remains a classic in its viciously entertaining new tour. 34/40
