This Weekend Just Didn't Stop, Girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OK, that was Highland Park, that was Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!

Saturday night Monsieur and I were so worn out we tumbled into bed, where he fell promptly asleep--no surprise there, darlings!--and I dozed off while watching a recorded episode of "Raising Hope." Which I will have to watch again.

We slept in Sunday, but we had to move fast. Because, in between phone calls, from friends, relatives and my father and sister, we had to get ready for a 2PM performance of "The Book Of Mormon" uptown at the Eugene 0'Neill Theatre.

Monsieur was SO excited. The Hottest Ticket In Town, and I had acquired it!!!!!! Leave it to The Raving Queen!!!!!!!!! He had even been talking about buying the CD!!!!!!!!!!!

As for me, I was somewhat skeptical of a show that had been praised to the max. It seems like I have been this way ever since "Rent." Still, I was willing to open myself up to what I had hoped would be a transporting theatrical experience. Plus, I had LOVED the movie "South Park--Bigger, Longer And Uncut", which was something of a musical in itself, and which I still say should have been transplanted to the stage. So, I was open to the possibilities of this being a fabulous show. Plus the buzz on it indicated that it was.

But what do I know?

The fact is, a lot of "The Book Of Mormon" IS fabulous, chiefly the marvelous production numbers. I will go this far and say it is the best sung and danced show I have seen yet this season. The choreography by Casey Nicholaw is energetic and formative, and owes a debut of gratitude to "A Chorus Line"; that masterwork is still showing them how to do it to this day! The cast is alive with talent and energy, their vocals are the best and their harmonies soar!!!!!!!! If only the cast of 'How To Succeed' had this talent, because then the show would have blown you away, because THERE is a score to sing for!!!!!!!!!

I was highly suspicious when I got my Playbill, and saw the musical numbers were not listed!!!!! Why? Well, when broken down they aren't much; they make the same points over and over. Also, the relatively simple story--the conflict between a nonconformist geek and a straitlaced self-hating closeted gay, and how they change each other and a village in Africa, takes awhile to establish itself, because you have to see pass all the production flashiness before you can get at it. Bad book writing, guys!!!!!!!!!

None of the songs are especially memorable. Even Monsieur, who was SO psyched for this show, felt let down, saying he would not buy the CD, as he would not want to hear the score a second time. Which was not the case with the "South Park" movie. Now, as all MY girls know, I am certainly no Bernadette (unless you mean Bernadette Peters); when it comes right down to things, I am more like Pearl Chavez, and I admit it. I have no problem with good natured spiritual irreverence. BUT when I hear a musical number with the lyrics "Fuck you, God!" I have to confess it makes me a bit uncomfortable. Remember, I was raised getting up on Sunday mornings, and marching downstairs before my parents to watch "Davey And Goliath," which took years to sink into me that it was a religious show. (Remember "All Alone," when Davey gets locked on the train, and he hears the wheels chanting the title, then suddenly switching to "God is everywhere?" It is things like that which made an impression). So, I have to confess the content made me a little squeamish.

Not to mention this whole subplot about African men fornicating with babies so they do not contract HIV. Excuse me??????? Again, I can take a lot, but infant abuse?????? Some lines have to be drawn, and that and bestiality--they fuck with frogs in here, too!--is where I draw it. Even Monsieur said, while he is not super-religious, he respects the rights of people to their religion. This pushes the envelope a bit too much for me.

I am surprised the Mormons are not protesting in front of the theater. And any day, I expect the elegantly coiffed Reverend Al Sharpton to turn up!!!!!!!!!!

Still, the show manages to entertain. The Second Act Hell Number is the one REAL show stopper, both in design, staging and performance. If the rest of the show had been up to this segment, "The Book Of Mormon" might have been the musical its proponents claim it to be. In the end, I found myself admiring the talent and the creativity, but not transported by the results!!!!!!!!!!!

Give me "Anything Goes" ANY day!!!!!!! And stay tuned, because the musical I have been anticipating all season-"The Shaggs"--I am seeing Saturday eve, and THAT I predict will do what "The Book Of Mormon" didn't. So stay in touch, darlings!!!!!!!!!!

All of this in ONE weekend!!!!!!! Now you know why I am called the RAVING Queen!!!!!!!!!!!