REVIEW: Heartwarming and hilarious, ‘The Book of Mormon’ humors Houston
The characters, songs and settings of “The Book of Mormon” reflect on religion and humanity with hilariously heartwarming, over-the-top irrevocably “South Park”-esque style. This comes as no surprise, as “South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Smith sit at the helm of this production.
Audience members familiar with their voice work will recognize them in parts of the narration throughout. All aspects feature the duo’s classic blend of absurdist humor, consistent callbacks and grandiose sing-a-longs in a new light.
Originally performed on Broadway in 2011, “The Book of Mormon” has been making its way around the globe since. From Jan. 15-20, Houston’s very own Hobby Center for the Performing Arts hosted performances of the production by a touring cast, crew and orchestra.
Swift and unforeseen costume changes amidst comedic sing-alongs swept the theater with laughter, the best of which occurred during the “spooky Mormon hell dream” sequence. Emotional scenes between mission companions Elders Price and Cunningham hold weight for the audience thanks to intimate and sweet moments between Liam Tobin and Conner Peirson’s respective roles.
Peirson’s Elder Cunningham is reminiscent of a Rick Moranis character, to the delight of many. In heartwarming scenes, Elders Price and Cunningham become best friends in their companionship, only for them to be tested by one another as the mission continues.
Going into “The Book of Mormon,” high expectations had been set due to previous parody perfection from duo Matt Smith and Trey Parker. Long-time fans of “South Park” and “Team America: World Police” among other works will almost certainly leave satisfied with this performance. The entire production is reminiscent of “South Park: Bigger, Longer, and Uncut” in many ways, as both stories take place in caricatures of the world, all the while remaining believable and downright hilarious in their absurdity.
The best parts of the show include just the right amount of ironic whimsy. Each song ends in an uproar of laughter and applause as the performers allow extra time for the audience to settle down before resuming. The live orchestra also added extra flair with a stellar performance as well, blending gospel, pop, rock and world music genres seamlessly throughout the performance.
At its worst, “The Book of Mormon” was a bit overly-indulgent. However, this doesn’t particularly affect the performance as a whole due to the funny and heartwarming moments between the aforementioned over-done callbacks and jokes which pervade the story the entire time. These elements could remind audiences a bit too much of a “South Park” episode at some points, which may take them out of the experience at times.
Ultimately, “The Book of Mormon” is a hilarious, warm-hearted story about two friends who learn about themselves, each other, and the world through the journey of a group of Mormon Missionaries spreading the gospel to the people of Uganda. If you’re interested in light religious parody with vulgar language and don’t mind a bit of self-aware over-indulgence in the music department, then “The Book of Mormon” is an excellent fit for your Broadway fix.
For more information the “The Book of Mormon” tour and to purchase tickets, head to www.bookofmormonbroadway.com.
