*Ding Dong* Hello! My name is Elder Hutch!

Strange in that it is my first time seeing this show; and it is a modern giant! Written by the creators of South Park and Avenue Q, as well as the director of Dreamgirls and Aladdin - oh yeah! Last night, I saw The Book of Mormon, playing at Manchester's Palace Theatre for the summer, in its first UK engagement outside of London.

In 2011, it was the biggest new show in NYC, winning a whopping 9 Tonys that year, including Best Musical, and the original cast included Andrew Rannells and Josh Gad (Beauty and the Beast) as the two leading Elders.
As weird as it seems, knowing the controversial nature, 150 million copies of the actual Book of Mormon were published, and there's an advert for the real book for the back of every programme 😆

It follows two recently graduated Mormon missionaries, Elder Price and Elder Cunningham, as they leave Salt Lake City to a small Ugandan village. But they soon realise that missionary life isn't as cracked up as they thought it would be...

It's interesting as a Christian myself (not a Mormon I add!) how I was going to take it, especially as I am not a South Park fan at all, hence why it has taken me a while to see it... And yes, it is crude, ridiculous. loud; and there were some moments which were like... "oh wow!"

Having said that, the main message of Book of Mormon is not "religion sucks!" - it is "religion is fine, as long as it is not hurting anyone"; and (being careful what I say here) perhaps as I'm a bit more liberal, and I believe in a God who loves rather than hates and criticises, I was able to take the show as a mockery as its own thing. And there were moments in the show which I think even my parents would find amusing....

BUT NO WAY WOULD I TAKE MY PARENTS TO SEE IT!!!! If you know they won't like it DON'T TAKE THEM!!

Me however? I COULD NOT stop laughing!!!

And neither could my friends - I went with the same group I saw Kinky Boots with - it's definitely one of those to ideally see as part of a group.

The script is so tight, there were LOL moments almost every other sentence, or in the actors expressions. Speaking of which, the whole cast were fantastic. I have no idea how they can deliver those lines without cracking up themselves. Nicole-Lily Baisden was sweet as daughter-of-the-chief, Nabalungi and Will Hawksworth was camp-with-pink-sequined-waistcoat as Elder McKinley.

However, it was the two leads who I HAVE to congratulate: Kevin Clay as Price and Connor Peirson as Cunningham were in a league of their own. They have played their roles for a long time, after having played them on both the US Tour and on Broadway - and it shows!!

I don't want to go any further in fear or spoiling any jokes.... 🐸 No, STOP IT!!!!

I've got many friends who've seen the show before, who told me how good it was, including one of my cousins loving it so much, she saw it in New York too!

To conclude, yes, it is as funny as people say, so if you think you'll enjoy this GO, especially if there is a group of you.
If you're easily offended by things though, best leave this one well alone...!