REVIEW - The Book of Mormon is a must-see show, so grab a ticket and head to church!

On Wednesday, we were one of the lucky ones who went to see to The Book of Mormon at the Palace Theatre, Manchester. See what our reviewer, Lizzie Johnston thought about the superb production...


The Mormons are back! The ridiculously funny musical has returned to The Palace Theatre - and as someone who’s seen the show before, I did wonder whether the jokes would land the same a second time around. Spoiler alert: they did. The show is from the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, and Bobby Lopez, the co-writer of Avenue Q and Frozen, so the humour is top tier.
 

The Book of Mormon follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries who’ve just left missionary school to embark on an experience of a lifetime. The pair are sent on a mission to a place that’s about as far from Salt Lake City as you can get - Uganda. It’s safe to say neither missionaries were expecting (or wanting) this to be their location, and with culture shocks and opposite religious views, they certainly have their work cut out.

The Book of Mormon has had a cult following since it first took to Broadway in 2011 and, since then, musical theatre lovers have been raving about the score and multiple accolades have been given to the Mormons. So it’s got quite high expectations for the first timers and the theatre was buzzing with a mixture of those who’ve seen it before and those who haven’t - given the atmosphere a nice mixture of anticipation and excitement. 

‘Hello!’ - the opening number - has got to be one of the best, most slick musical openings out there. From the off the audience are laughing and fully engaged, setting them up for a great evening of theatre. The score doesn’t peak too soon though, with other fantastics songs such as ‘Two by Two’, ‘Hasa Diga Eebowai’ and ‘Turn It Off’ keeping the toe-tapping going for the whole two plus hours. 

What I particularly enjoy about the score is not only the toe-tapping beats but the clever jokes weaved into the lyrics. A song would start, which you’d assume would be an emotional ballad and it’s performed as such, but the lyrics are utterly hilarious and take the audience by surprise. There aren’t many shows where you’ll be laughing during the most emotional number, that’s for sure. 

An iconic comedy duo is the perfect fit for the Mormons, and Elder Price and Elder Cunningham are a fabulously mismatched pair that lead the show brilliantly. Elder Price, played by Adam Bailey (Jack and the Beanstalk, Titanic, Jersey Boys), is painted out to be the perfect Mormon, the son that any Mormon parent would be proud to have. He’s top of the class and everyone else looks up to him, so he’s out to impress on this mission and takes it extremely seriously. Bailey plays the character with a balanced mix of confidence and charm, so much so it can come across as arrogant, and as he’s the American golden boy, he’s expecting to be placed in his dream location - Orlando. 

On the opposite side, Elder Cunningham, played by Sam Glen (The Book of Mormon, Midsummer Mechanicals, The Kitchen Sink), is the socially awkward sidekick and underdog. Glen’s enthusiasm and eagerness couldn’t be more opposite to the composure shown by Bailey, making them comedy gold as a duo with a mixture of sweet moments and utterly hilarious ones. It’s the clash between Elder Price’s uptightness and Elder Cunningham’s creative, off-the-wall approach that turns this mission into a trial of friendship and faith. 

The whole cast is excellent - stunning harmonies, slick choreography and elite comedic timing. I could really go on about how great each cast member delivered and I thoroughly enjoyed the extremely animated smiles of the Mormons when approaching the reality of life in Uganda. The comedy is so close to the knuckle and it really makes you question how they’ve got away with it - but it’s fantastic. 

A special mention has to go to Nyah Nish (Head Over Heels, The Book of Mormon) as Nabulungi. Nabulungi is the glue that brings both worlds together, and Nish plays her with such sweet, youthful energy that just fits perfectly into the palm of the Mormons as they turn to her to help them convert the village. Her voice is also simply stunning, so powerful and effortless and she sings full of emotion - which is ironic considering the audience is laughing throughout. 

The set was great, as always with larger budget productions. The contrast between the simple and clean surroundings of Salt Lake City compared to the dusty, rugged village in Uganda highlights even further the culture shock the group of Mormons are dealing with, exaggerating the difference between the two worlds. The costumes give a similar impression too - particularly when you consider the perfection and pristine nature of the black and white Mormon uniform compared to the mixture of colours and casual dress worn by the Africans. 

The Book of Mormon is a laugh out loud, one of a kind show, and with catchy tunes to go along with it, you’ll be singing and giggling the whole way home. If you haven’t seen it, then it’s a must-go, and if you already have, then go again. Grab a ticket and head to church!

WE SCORE THE BOOK OF MORMON...

The Book of Mormon is on at the Palace Theatre, Manchester until Sat 5th October 2024.



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