Broadway’s hottest show, The Book of Mormon, is coming to Ottawa. The Tony Award winning musical is the brain child of Trey Parker, Matt Stone (both of South Park fame) and Robert Lopez (co-creator of Avenue Q and songwriter for Frozen) and has received critical praise around the globe.
South Park fans may remember the 2003 episode entitled “All About Mormons” which told the story of Joseph Smith and the founding of Mormonism as a religion. It was a hilarious episode and for many of us, a first look at the principles, teachings and origins of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints –yep, those commercials telling us things like “generosity, pass it on” are Mormon commercials.
The Book of Mormon is the modern day story of two young missionaries sent to a small village in Uganda whose residents are more concerned with their daily lives filled with famine, poverty and AIDS than learning the word of God. Indeed, the villagers get through their misery by singing “hasa diga eebowai” which translates to “fuck you God”.
It just keeps getting better from there.
While The Book of Mormon is a satirical look at a faith many of us consider a little… eccentric, it is a full-fledged, old school musical full of catchy, compelling songs –the theatre album won a Grammy- and energetic choreography. It’s a satisfying show for hardcore musical theatre fans and a great introduction for those who are a bit iffy about the genre but love a smart, well written story.
With a cast of characters full of confused Mormon missionaries, miserable villagers and a warlord named General Butt-Fucking Naked who is obsessed with female castration because he fears that all the clitorises in the village will “power up” and destroy him, The Book of Mormon has something for everyone.
Unless you’re a Mormon, in which case you probably won’t like it.
The Book of Mormon is playing at the NAC from July 15th to the 27th. Tickets start at $63 and will go fast, so buy them while you can. This show is well worth it. One piece of advice; watch “All About Mormons” before you go to the show, it’ll get you in the right mindset.
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