Outrageously irreverent and infectiously joyous, with almost divine precision...
It’s not every day a musical manages to be outrageously irreverent and infectiously joyous in the same breath—but The Book of Mormon, now playing at Nottingham’s Theatre Royal, pulls it off with almost divine precision. From the moment the curtain lifts, it’s a full-throttle, laugh-out-loud rollercoaster that somehow turns blasphemy into art, and satire into something almost uplifting. Sort of.
The story, from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, along with Avenue Q’s Robert Lopez, follows two young Mormon missionaries sent from Salt Lake City to a poverty-stricken Ugandan village where things aren’t quite what their cheery little training book prepared them for. But while the plot veers into wild and wildly inappropriate territory, it’s all done with such over-the-top charm and musical brilliance that it's hard to be offended when the songs are this catchy!
The cast in this Nottingham stop of the UK tour is, frankly, heavenly. Sam Glen absolutely steals the show as Elder Cunningham, the awkward, nerdy sidekick with a wild imagination and a penchant for making up scripture on the fly. Glen’s comedic timing is razor sharp, but it’s his sheer commitment to every facial twitch, panicked squeal, and made-up Star Wars reference that had the audience in stitches. His performance is a chaotic joy from start to finish.
Matching him in brilliance, albeit in a completely different register, is Nyah Nish as Nabulungi. Her vocals are nothing short of stunning—soaring, rich, and full of emotion. Nish brings a sincerity and heart to the show that gives the satire some emotional depth, and her rendition of “Sal Tlay Ka Siti” was a genuine showstopper.
Tom Bales also deserves high praise as Elder McKinley, the flamboyantly repressed missionary tasked with teaching his fellow Elders to “turn it off like a light switch.” His performance is gleefully camp, completely unbothered by subtlety, and all the better for it. Bales dances and smiles through denial with such gusto that it’s impossible not to love him.
The ensemble cast, too, are absolutely on point. This is a show that thrives on the group numbers—whether it's the cheery chaos of "Hello!" or the jaw-droppingly audacious “Spooky Mormon Hell Dream”—and every member of the cast gets their moment. Background performers don't just fill space; they bring extra laughs, surprising solos, and a contagious energy that lifts every scene.
If you’re looking for something polished, provocative, and ridiculously funny, The Book of Mormon is a must-see. Just don’t bring your nan—unless she has a wicked sense of humour.
The Book of Mormon plays at Nottingham's Theatre Royal until 28 June 2025.
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