Book of Mormon – West End

On arrival, the pair are robbed by General GBFN soldiers, a local warlord who terrorises locals and dictates mass genital mutilations at random. Needless to say, the Mormons haven’t had much success and Elder Price quickly grows disillusioned. The villagers have long been so and they have a song for that: ‘Hasa Diga Eebowai.’ It means, ‘Fuck You, God.’

However, Elder Cunningham’s fantastical, milk-and-honey promises – mostly made up on the spot and twisting Mormonism with pop culture and science fiction – start winning them around. To win conversions, however, the Mormons have to take on the general himself and Price, spotting an opportunity, tries to convert him to the church – only to wind up in the hospital wing with a holy book in an unholy place.

When the villagers come to enact their understanding of Mormonism for the head of the mission, their version of its founding myth is riddled with errors and distortions – mistakes that see the mission wound up. What Elder Price realises, however, is that the spirit of the church has cut through in Elder Cunningham’s efforts, even if its exact details haven’t. For the villagers, however, Mormonism is a metaphor, not a literal truth – and Arnold Cunningham is the only Latter-Day Saint they need.

Cynical and spoofish throughout, not to mention wilfully outrageous, The Book of Mormon pokes as much fun at the musical theatre form and its feel-good factor as it does at the Mormon faith itself. That, arguably, is what has made it such a success: it applies its satire even-handedly and affectionately. No one escapes ridicule. Book your Book of Mormon Tickets today!