To just not get 'the book of Mormon' spoiler alert

[storminabuttercup]

So the Book of Mormon hit our city last month, think it's on a 4 week run. I love the theatre, love musicals, so when my friend asked me to go when the tickets got released 3 years ago I just said yes. Knew little about it. Did a bit of reading before we went this week, was expecting adult humour etc. Everyone kept saying I'd love it, it's amazing, so funny.
Now don't get me wrong, I laughed at some bits, but none of the songs were great and to be honest the 'sex with a baby' gag turned My stomach.

I can't be the only one who thinks it's overhyped and a bit crap? To me it was trying to be controversial!

I thought it was amazing - I laughed so hard my ribs hurt when I saw it. Agree that the humour isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea though.

I loved the songs and some of the humour, but thought it was waaay too sweary! Definitely not “the funniest thing on earth” or whatever outlandish claim they make the side of a bus ad.

I’m sure there are lots of Mumsnetters who go to Book of Mormon and see it as ironinc, a serious indictment of this that and the other.

But I also think that basic racists and homophobes and generally intolerant people could also go along and have a rollicking good time.

The ‘ironic’ bit just isn’t obvious enough for me.

I’ve seen it and as someone who was raised in a god squad religion very similar to the Mormons I laughed until I cried at the absurdity that anyone could ever believe what these religions peddle. It’s explicit and controversial yet deeply profound and hilarious at the same time.

Anyone who experienced anything remotely similar to the plot of BoM growing up will get it immediately. I tell everyone who goes to see it to watch it with an open mind and prepare to be shocked.

Oh yes, the LDS Church have have actually embraced it as some PR for the Church and a way to recruit members hence why some people report Missionaries being outside of the theatre when it ends.

I actually came across a testimony from one of their members who converted following seeing the show in London and speaking to Missionaries post show, so it must pay off for them?

Oh lots of replies and it seems I'm not that unreasonable.

Agree with so much. I did go in expecting them to poke fun at the LDS, but the portrayal of the Ugandans was just totally unexpected.

I'm glad I posted as IRL everyone I've spoken to has been shocked I didn't like it, was even suggested I didn't 'get' the humour which I did understand it was meant to be close to the bone etc but I found it unnecessarily cruel.

I thought it was very funny.
But also made me very uncomfortable, deliberately so. It's that it's funny but I shouldn't be laughing feeling.

The portrayal of Africa is deliberately stereotypical.

I think it reflects very well on the Mormon church that they can withstand this level of pisstake with good grace.

And they get the last laugh, as they are generally more successful and happier than the wider population.

You are hard core getting that reference!

I’ve seen it four times (not deliberately as one time was due to Ds being invited to sit in the pit with the band). I love it. It has changed slightly since covid. Parts were re-written in response to racial issues. It has lost a little if the edge but I do like how they have changed I Am Africa to highlight the concept of so called White Saviours.

ds is currently on a train to see todays matinee!

I so agree about Matilda! Absolutely don't get why it's so popular.

I thought Book of Mormon was very funny and I never liked Southpark.

It's not one of my favourite musicals on the West End, but it's still very funny. The beat musicals I have seen on the West End were Les Mis, Fiddler on the Roof, and Prince of Egypt. Sadly the last two are no longer running I think. Also, of course loves Lion King. But most of the others are good, but nothing out of this world.

best*

I loved it!

And yet only a few years ago Jerry Springer:The Opera was getting people threatened with prosecution under a 300 year old law ...

I really liked it and found it had a surprising amount of heart.

The baby joke was too much for me, but I guess sometimes other people's humour boundaries are wider than mine. 🤷‍♀️

It’s “bastard, orphan, son of a whore’

#teamhamilton

I took my teens and they absolutely loved it. It was their humour exactly. I enjoyed it but maybe because of how much they did.

And it’s also spoken by Burr who would have looked down on Hamiltons background.

The humour isn't really my style but the songs are so fantastic it really makes up for it. Ditto the South Park movie musical.
I was worried it would be really mean spirited and offensive about the church, but it's not at all, and quite heartwarming in parts.

Matthew Broderick was never in The Book of Mormon.

Parker and Stone are one of my special autistic interests so I have seen BoM many times, and know a lot about its development.

The depiction of Uganda is taking a swipe at media depictions of African countries. Both Parker and Stone are married to black women and have black children.

The humour of Parker and Stone (mostly Parker) is to take all the things we don't talk about in society and bring them out into the light. So the raping a baby line, you are laughing at the nonchalance with which the character expresses the line, because it's such an outrageous idea.

And Matthew Broderick has no involvement with BoM, you're probably thinking of The Producers.

I like South Park, but wasn’t a fan at all. I don’t think people starving in Africa is a suitable topic for a musical, even ironically.

That's literally why it exists.

You should meet my son jamon!

i got de golden plates!

I gunna lead the people

we (or rather Ds) own a fuck frog toy.