The Book of Mormon – Liverpool Empire

What really shouldn’t work as a concept for a musical, really does. A musical based on the book that Mormons use, or even Mormons in general? And it was written by the duo who created South Park? Everything just shouldn’t work about this show, yet it has a huge following and is so funny, that you ache from laughing.

Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s musical follows Elder Price – the top missionary in his class and his missionary partner, Elder Cunnigham, who is the bottom of the class. It follows them as they begin their missionary journey and not in the place that Elder Price was praying for. Nothing seems to go right for the duo and they try to covert a local village to become Mormons themselves. As with their partnership, it has varying levels of success.

As someone who saw the original London cast of the show, this cast was very reminiscent of that. And for a show that is approaching 15 years old, it still felt very fresh now, as it did then. Adam Bailey and Sam Glen as Price and Cunningham respectively are the powerhouse duo to lead this cast. Their comic timing as well as vocals are off-the-scale and it is a joy to watch them both, as a duo and in the numbers that they aren’t together for. A personal favourite was definitely ‘Making things Up Again’. Their performances were complemented by other cast members, including Nyah Nish as Nabulungi (Jon Bon Jovi/Neutrogena/Nicki Minaj – if you know, you know) and Tom Bales as Elder McKinley. The whole cast are at the top of their game, and with how young some look – they have long, successful careers ahead of them.

The costume design by Ann Roth, is so fitting for the show and feels ageless. Whilst there isn’t much in the way of costumes for the Mormon missionaries (minus a fabulous quick change during ‘Turn it Off’), the costumes were complemented by Josh Marquette’s hair design. The actors portraying the missionaries literally look as though they would fit right in, at the centre in Utah. With sets by Scott Pask, lighting by Brian Macdevitt and sound by Brian Ronan, it was made obvious when we were in America and when we were in Uganda, it was small hints, but they made the biggest difference, in the production as a whole. Casey Nicolaw’s choreography was so fun and made the musical numbers all the more enjoyable.

So long as you go in with an open mind and aren’t offended with lots of swearing, then you are sure to have a fun- and laughter-filled evening!

The Book of Mormon is at the Liverpool Empire until 18^th October 2025, before carrying on with its UK tour. Tickets are available from www.thebookofmormonmusical.com

Reviewer: Jenn McKean

Reviewed: 1^st October 2025

North West End UK Rating: