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The Book of Mormon – reviews roundup The Book of Mormon – reviews roundup
(6 months later)
There's been a whole heap of hype surrounding The Book of Mormon, the Broadway smash-hit musical from the creators of South Park that has just landed in London, trailing nine Tony awards behind it. But for the most part the British critics have gone out of their way to be unimpressed. In fact, who knew there were so many different ways to express disenchantment?There's been a whole heap of hype surrounding The Book of Mormon, the Broadway smash-hit musical from the creators of South Park that has just landed in London, trailing nine Tony awards behind it. But for the most part the British critics have gone out of their way to be unimpressed. In fact, who knew there were so many different ways to express disenchantment?
First in line to exhibit his boredom is Charles Spencer, who acknowledges that his colleagues on the other side of the Atlantic have greeted Mormon ecstatically – but only in order to demonstrate that he has no intention of following suit. He found it "hard to warm to the show", he admits, and didn't respond well to its "foul-mouthed irreverence and outrageousness". Also, although he admired its cleverness, he wasn't overly impressed by the quality of the script ("If you find it funny that one of the characters constantly announces: 'I have maggots in my scrotum,' this is definitely the ticket for you"). In fact, if anything, the show made the man from the Telegraph rather warm to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: "Mocking the Mormons and their bizarre belief system is the softest of targets," Spencer writes. "Indeed, their response to the piece has been remarkably tolerant and good-humoured."First in line to exhibit his boredom is Charles Spencer, who acknowledges that his colleagues on the other side of the Atlantic have greeted Mormon ecstatically – but only in order to demonstrate that he has no intention of following suit. He found it "hard to warm to the show", he admits, and didn't respond well to its "foul-mouthed irreverence and outrageousness". Also, although he admired its cleverness, he wasn't overly impressed by the quality of the script ("If you find it funny that one of the characters constantly announces: 'I have maggots in my scrotum,' this is definitely the ticket for you"). In fact, if anything, the show made the man from the Telegraph rather warm to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints: "Mocking the Mormons and their bizarre belief system is the softest of targets," Spencer writes. "Indeed, their response to the piece has been remarkably tolerant and good-humoured."
Spencer's fears that his would be a "minority opinion" are misplaced, at least when it comes to other newspaper critics. The Guardian's Michael Billington doesn't try especially hard to stifle his yawns either. He admits that he had a "perfectly pleasant time", admired the songs ("part of the fun lies in playing spot-the-source"), and rather warmed to some of the cast, but "the idea that the show … is either daringly offensive or a Broadway breakthrough is pure codswallop". In fact, Billington takes issue with The Book of Mormon's entire premise, unflatteringly comparing it with the little-known 50s satire The Making of Moo (Google it) – by whose satirical standards this new show is "pretty toothless". "The biggest myth of all," he concludes, "is that it's somehow a landmark American musical."Spencer's fears that his would be a "minority opinion" are misplaced, at least when it comes to other newspaper critics. The Guardian's Michael Billington doesn't try especially hard to stifle his yawns either. He admits that he had a "perfectly pleasant time", admired the songs ("part of the fun lies in playing spot-the-source"), and rather warmed to some of the cast, but "the idea that the show … is either daringly offensive or a Broadway breakthrough is pure codswallop". In fact, Billington takes issue with The Book of Mormon's entire premise, unflatteringly comparing it with the little-known 50s satire The Making of Moo (Google it) – by whose satirical standards this new show is "pretty toothless". "The biggest myth of all," he concludes, "is that it's somehow a landmark American musical."
Libby Purves, reviewing for the Times (behind a paywall), goes further. "No sophisticate dares object to the swearwords, joke Jesus, a missionary having his sacred book rammed up his bum, or comic songs about female circumcision and the superstition that raping babies cures Aids," she writes. "It's postmodern irony, innit?" But it isn't much more than that, she goes on, and she has a particularly hard time stomaching the show's irony when it comes to Africa. "Beneath its jollity, [Mormon] is morally null and – without seeming to notice it – pretty racist," she argues. "Stone and Parker do not even have the courtesy to invent a country, as Evelyn Waugh did in Black Mischief. They chose Uganda."Libby Purves, reviewing for the Times (behind a paywall), goes further. "No sophisticate dares object to the swearwords, joke Jesus, a missionary having his sacred book rammed up his bum, or comic songs about female circumcision and the superstition that raping babies cures Aids," she writes. "It's postmodern irony, innit?" But it isn't much more than that, she goes on, and she has a particularly hard time stomaching the show's irony when it comes to Africa. "Beneath its jollity, [Mormon] is morally null and – without seeming to notice it – pretty racist," she argues. "Stone and Parker do not even have the courtesy to invent a country, as Evelyn Waugh did in Black Mischief. They chose Uganda."
The Mail's Quentin Letts is, perhaps unsurprisingly, none too hot on the show either – though it's more the idea of satirising missionaries in central Africa ("some of the bravest people in the world") he objects to. "If you want to attack a religious group, why not militant Islam?" he wonders. But the producers could look on the bright side: at least it took Letts only "10 minutes" to get bored of The Book of Mormon – quite a long time, by his usual standards.The Mail's Quentin Letts is, perhaps unsurprisingly, none too hot on the show either – though it's more the idea of satirising missionaries in central Africa ("some of the bravest people in the world") he objects to. "If you want to attack a religious group, why not militant Islam?" he wonders. But the producers could look on the bright side: at least it took Letts only "10 minutes" to get bored of The Book of Mormon – quite a long time, by his usual standards.
And not everyone hated the evening. HuffPo UK's Andrea Mann argues that the fun of the show is in "seeing Parker and Stone's cartoonish sensibility come to life in living, breathing, singing and dancing". In fact, awarding the musical a full five stars, she praises the edginess of it all: "Jokes and songs about rape, Ugandan warlords and female circumcision make you both laugh and catch your breath when uttered (or sung) by real people right in front of your very eyes," she writes. "It's as fun and lightweight as a comedy musical should be – but thought-provoking, too." Mann concludes with a line that's surely being stencilled on to a West End billboard at this very moment: "The result isn't just great: it's Mormonumental."And not everyone hated the evening. HuffPo UK's Andrea Mann argues that the fun of the show is in "seeing Parker and Stone's cartoonish sensibility come to life in living, breathing, singing and dancing". In fact, awarding the musical a full five stars, she praises the edginess of it all: "Jokes and songs about rape, Ugandan warlords and female circumcision make you both laugh and catch your breath when uttered (or sung) by real people right in front of your very eyes," she writes. "It's as fun and lightweight as a comedy musical should be – but thought-provoking, too." Mann concludes with a line that's surely being stencilled on to a West End billboard at this very moment: "The result isn't just great: it's Mormonumental."
Henry Hitchings in the Standard agrees ("spirited and refreshing" is his verdict). Meanwhile, the Independent's Paul Taylor confesses that he loved it – albeit "guiltily". "Is the show touristic?" he asks. "Does it merely flirt with blasphemy? Oh, you bet. But there is also something very winning about its spirit." The Book of Mormon is no Jerry Springer, he argues – but it does at least send up the idea that "religion is just the continuation of showbiz by other means". Whatever you think of the show, it's hard to disagree with that.Henry Hitchings in the Standard agrees ("spirited and refreshing" is his verdict). Meanwhile, the Independent's Paul Taylor confesses that he loved it – albeit "guiltily". "Is the show touristic?" he asks. "Does it merely flirt with blasphemy? Oh, you bet. But there is also something very winning about its spirit." The Book of Mormon is no Jerry Springer, he argues – but it does at least send up the idea that "religion is just the continuation of showbiz by other means". Whatever you think of the show, it's hard to disagree with that.
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