Post by Fantasma da Opera on Jun 5, 2011 17:46:39 GMT -5
What happens when you mix the crazy ideas of Mormons, the score of Lion King and the humour of South Park? You get The Book of Mormon, the new Broadway critically and audience acclaimed smash-hit.
I am not very familiar with the actors in the show (actually I don't know any of them) so I will review this CD by song.
Overall, The Book of Mormon is a hilarious show. The creators are the same that brought us South Park and the music comes from the composer of Avenue Q. So as long as you don't hate any of these, this show will please you. And it will help if you're not easily offended by fowl language. The songs allow you, I think, to get an idea of the story.
1 - Hello! - Opens the show. It is a catchy tune where all the Mormons are doing what they are known for: ringing bells and try to "sell" religion. Here we meet, for the first time, our "hero" Elder Arnold Cunningham which enters shouting "Hello! Would you like to change religion? I have a free book written by Jesus!!!". Josh Gad plays the role and he is truly truly funny.
2 - Two by Two - This is the song that follows. The Mormons are all gathered with their leader that is assigning them their locations to "colonize". They are going to be paired. Here we meet our other "hero" Elder Price, played by Andrew Rannells. His dream location was Orlando where there's Disney and Sea World....and then he gets paired with Elder Cunningham...and sent to Uganda (which is, to Cunningham "Cool! Like Lion King!"). This song is also very funny and awfully additive. I've spent literally an entire day singing "We're fighting for a cause / but we're really REALLY nice! We are the Army of the Church of Jesus Christ...of Later Day Saints").
3 - You and Me (but mostly me!) - So Cunningham and Price are paired together...but Price is the kind of guy that wants to be more Papist than the Pope. So in this song he tells Cunningham that they'll accomplish lots of things together...though it will be mostly him.
4 - Hasa Diga Eebowai - Remember I said this was the score of Lion King? Here it is in all his glory. Hasa Diga Eebowai is my favourite song in the show...and the most offensive one too. The Elders have reached Uganda, where they meet a bunch of natives that are, like many africans, filled with rotten lifes and AIDS. But they put all of that behing their backs by saying Hasa Diga Eebowai...which is like Hakuna Matata...but in reverse. Because Hasa Diga Eebowai, as it's explained means, in English "f**k You God!". This song is the one with the most profanity in it. So, if you're sensitive to that, avoid it. If you saw the South Park Movie and loved Uncle f**ker then you'll love this song.
5 -Turn if off! - Once they settle in the village, they meet the other Mormons stationed there to convert the Africans (so far without success). So Elder Mckinley, the district leader, offers Cunningham and Price advice on how to deal with all the doubts and fears that may face a Mormon. All they need to do is turn off the feeling that are not appropriate for the Church. Elder McKinley is a repressed gay, and we get to know that here...does it add anything to the story? Not really, but allows a couple of hilarious lines
6 - I am here for you - So after 5 great songs comes the one which is softer. Elder Price is filled with anxiety and so, Elder Cunningham, which actually has a golden heart, offers him comfort. All Cunningham wants is a best friend he never had and he's trying to reach the reluctant Elder Price.
7 - All American Prophet - The Book of Mormon is filled with crazy ideas. One of them is that Jesus came to an American man and gave him golden plates with Part III of the Bible (which I assume would be the "Brand-New Testament" but Cunningham says "it's a trilogy and Part III is Return of the Jedi"). So they tell that story to the villagers to try to impress them. This song is hilarious again in many ways. Not only the lyrics are cleaver but they manage to transmit not only the story but the feeling that Mormonism could only work with Americans...
8 - Sal Tlay Ka Siti - Yes, this actually reads "Salt Lake City". There's a enemy of the village. General Butt-f**king Naked. And he demands that all of the women must have their clitoris cut until the end of the week. And to show he's being serious, he kills one of the villagers. The others run back to safety. the daughter of the village's tribe leader hears the story of the American Prophet and dreams of going to that place called "Sal Tlay Ka Siti", the "promised land" of the Mormons of yesteryear., where she will be happy. I don't care much for this song but I think that it's because I don't really like the singers voice.
9 - Man Up - Suddenly Elder Price decides to request a change of location for him and leaves the missionaries. There, in Africa, he will never be able to make great things that will bring him glory. Cunningham is then left alone and is forced to grow up, right now that the Africans are willing to listen to the Mormon's teachings.
10 - Making things up again - The only problem is that Cunningham isn't being able to reach the community. The Book doesn't really speak to them and doesn't have answers to their actual problems. And so Cunningham decides to do what he does best...he starts to make up stuff that isn't in the Book and passes it as the Holy Word so that he can avoid things like the f**king of babies to cure aids and the cutting of women clitoris. This is my second favourite song in the show, because it's filled with references to things only nerds like me will probably get. From The Lord of The Rings to Star Wars, Cunningham uses things from everywhere to threaten the Africans with terrible punishments (like "burning in the fiery pits of Mordor!" for laying with an infant or having Boba Fett turning people into frogs). Truly funny!
11 - Spooky Mormon Hell - This is the nightmare dream Elder Price has for having left his companion. Musically this song is a rock songs. Pretty much like Carpe Noctem in Tanz der Vampire, but in good. The song isn't so long and the lyrics are funny!
12 - I believe - Did you really thought a show like this wouldn't parody another show? If you did, you're wrong. I Believe, sung by Elder Price, is a spoof of I have confidence in me from The Sound of Music. The lyrics are again funny.
13 - Baptise me - The daughter of the chef asks Cunningham to Baptise her into the church. This song is basically about that...except it's constructed to sound as if they were about to f**k.
14 - I am Africa - After the girl is baptised, the Mormons managed to baptise more Africans. This song is about it and it is the only song that I really didn't cared for. Again is pretty much like something from The Lion King but without.
15 - Joseph Smith American Moses - Now that the Mormons managed to convert some Africans, the leader of the Mormon Church decides to visit the village. There the newly-converted put on a show in his homage. The show is the telling of the story of Joseph Smith...according to Cunningham, Which means it contains all the things he made up. The leader of the Mormons is obviously in shock. The song is pretty funny and is well constructed musically since it gets inspiration from traditional African songs instead of The Lion King.
16 - Tomorrow is a later day - The Mormons managed not only to unite the Africans but they also defeated the General Butt-f**king Naked. They are now prepared to face the tomorrow. They can now see their future, a later day...and cut to the beginning of the show. Instead of the white Elders, now come the African Mormons ringing doorbells and singing Hello! and spreading the word of the Prophet Cunningham...and letting people know that there is a 4th Part to the Bible "The Book of Arnold". The show ends in this great way, full circle, and you just had nice time listening to this crazy and funny show.
Overall this CD is an amazing one, good in every aspect. The first half of it is stronger than the later but overall it's hilarious.
For all this, The Book of Mormon deserved its success and deserved to sweep the Tony's. The libretto is being released not in the end of May and I can't wait to get it.
This CD gets a 9 out of 10 only because it's a digipack and I hate those.
