Ding dong. It’s the Mormons who have returned to Perth’s Crown Theatre with their blasphemous Broadway musical The Book of Mormon.
The hugely popular production — co-written by South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone with Robert Lope — opened in Perth on Thursday and fans, new and old, were hungry for a night of crude humour.
If it’s your first time hearing about the Tony, Olivier, and Grammy award-winning spectacle, I’d recommend doing some research because it’s not for the faint of heart.
I prayed ticket holders had some idea of what they were getting themselves into before taking their seats.
If not — good luck for the next two and a half hours!
The show follows two mismatched, naive Mormon missionaries sent on a two-year mission to a place as far removed from Salt Lake City as possible — Uganda.
Upon their arrival, chaos ensues as they are tasked with attempting to baptise as many African villagers as they can and spread the teachings of the Mormon life.
Sean Johnston as Elder Price and Nick Cox as Elder Cunningham were quite the duo on stage as their clashing personalities had the audience in stitches.
Those who have seen the Beauty and the Beast musical may remember Cox as Le Fou, and his talent this time around is just as exquisite.
The way he pulls off his character’s socially awkward, enthusiastic, fiercely loyal and kind-hearted traits is supremely entertaining, and he truly is the star of the show.
Another cast member who stood out for her emotional performance was Paris Leveque, who played Nabulungi, an innocent villager who deeply believes the missionaries hold the secret to liberation, safety, and a better life.
From catchy music to sensational singing and an impressive stage design, The Book of Mormon has all the right elements of a satirical showcase that make for a fun night out.
It’s plethora of jokes will leave you singing the gospels inspired by the origin story of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints founder Joseph Smith.
I don’t think anyone had as much fun as my boyfriend, who actually visited Salt Lake City last year and witnessed the Mormon stronghold with his own eyes.
He was so moved by the show that he now “believes”.
It’s not hard to see why it’s been so successful, albeit controversial.
At times, it is jaw-dropping and shocking. Some of the jokes are so grotesque they almost feel illegal.
But if you don’t mind feeling uncomfortable and laughing at gags that would see an emerging comedian get cancelled in 2026 — this is a must-see experience.
The Book Of Mormon is at Crown Theatre Perth until December 6.
The verdict
Four out of five stars