The first time was the original Tony Award-winning 2011 production on Broadway, followed by touring productions in no less than three cities. Each one a wickedly caustic bout of good musical fun. Yes, the show mocks The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, depicting its members as repressed non-thinking drones following an obviously made up religion. For sure, the plot lampoons poor, rural Africans, portraying them as AIDS-ridden, Luddites. And indeed there are moments where sexual preference, race, disease
But that was then. Before saying the wrong word in a joke could derail your career. Before certain subjects were deemed un-
Through today’s touchy lens, what does The Book of Mormon look like? The plot remains the same — two young white Mormon missionaries, are sent to Uganda to try and convert villagers plagued with AIDS, famine and a warlord intent on circumcising every village woman. Needless to say, it doesn’t go to plan. But can we sit back and laugh at it the way we once did? Have we been conditioned away from this kind of offensive humor? Does the permission to find this funny again come as a relief? Interesting questions to ponder if you’re going to see the show, in town for a short run at the Mischer Neurosciences Broadway at the Hobby Center.
I don’t have proof, but gauging the reaction of the audience members around me, I was probably the only one thinking about any of this. They were all too busy enjoying the well-oiled machine that The Book of Mormon has become. Without question, this is a terrific touring production. It's slick without being over-processed, fast-paced but not rushed. The sets, from the squeaky sparse Mormon training center to the dingy Ugandan village, play out gorgeously as illustrated backdrops punctuated by judicious use of texture-ripe set pieces. And the cast plays it like they’re going for broke. No calling it in here, these talents belt it out and dance it up and give good face like it’s
So easy to just get lost in all of it. And yet…..if you do stop and think, certain realities come to nibble at you. Most notably, the feeling that there’s no way this show would ever be made today. Even if someone had the guts to write it, I can’t believe any producer would come within a mile of the thing.
The South Park gang gets away with their brand of scathing take-down humor partly because they’re equal opportunity offenders. One week they’d skewer Jesus, the next it would be the gay community, then U.S. politicians or the physically challenged and let’s not
Can you imagine anyone trying to sell that in this climate?
Yes, yes, there’s more to the show than that. In marrying a traditional musical structure with the corrosive South Park humor, the musical and its demand for a heartfelt message and happy ending wins. Underneath all that taking the piss out, The Book of Mormon has something really lovely to say – it doesn’t matter what you believe in or if it’s made up or not as long as it brings you comfort and does good.
But hold on, before we all join hands and sing Kumbaya, let’s remember that the message is not the medium in this musical. While it’s still easy to adore so many parts of The Book of Mormon (the second act still remains one of the best comically arced progressions of any show I’ve seen), the truth is it’s almost impossible to watch it the way I once did.
Whereas previously I might not have thought twice when
Others may feel this too and it might be this different experience that trips them up. Is it good that we now cringe a bit at these lines, even in the context of this hysterical, beloved, meant to offend all in
I don’t have an answer for that except to say, go see the show, by all means, enjoy, but then think a little, and see where on the continuum you land.
The Book of Mormon runs through January 20 at the Hobby Center, 800 Bagby. For information, call 713-315-2525 or visit broadwayatthehobbycenter.com. $40-$185.