Book of Mormon
* * * *
Book of Mormon isn't as funny as Avenue Q, but it's much more creative. Much like I feel Jon Stewart teaches me a lot about politics, I walked out with a greater understanding and appreciation for the Mormon religion. It manages to be warm and friendly, even though it also holds the belief up for ridicule much like Parker & Stone do Scientology on South Park. They get away with it by simply being so creative and talented I was in awe with the tight construction and smooth execution of the project.
There's the handful of tunes that can play in your iTunes, but some only work within the context of the show, and that's okay. A prime example is "Spooky Mormon Hell Dream". Not a great tune, but on stage it becomes an increasingly outrageous parody of Broadway excess.
This show is filthy. There's so much talk of female anatomy and curses at God, I believe it would have trouble getting an 'R' rating if translated directly to cinema. Like most of Parker & Stone, it's hilarious though excessive in a couple of places. My biggest problem is with the last 10 minutes. There's a climactic re-interpretation of Mormon religion. It's the number that should bring down the house, but ends up being the weakest of the bunch. After that all of the conflicts are resolved in rather pat and overly-simple ways. It's the only time where the storytelling falters into "just go with me on this".
Pretty negative for a 4-star review, but these are the interesting things to talk about. As for the rest... incredible performances and energy and staging and just one of the best musicals I've ever seen. I could easily watch it again, and someday I believe I will. Come for the laughs, be blown away by the characters, intelligence and creativity.