The Book of Mormon Reviews: What the Critics Say
The Book of Mormon opened at the Prince of Wales Theatre on 21 March 2013 with nine Tony Awards already in its luggage, and promptly split the London critics down the middle: four-star raves next to a one-star demolition, sometimes on the same news-stand. Thirteen years and four Olivier Awards later, the audience verdict has long since drowned out the argument. Here is what the reviews actually said, so you can decide whose side you are on.
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The Critics' Verdict
The 2013 notices reviewed the original London company. The show recasts roughly annually and the current company took over on 2 February 2026, so the performances praised are not the ones on stage now; the production is.
No hit musical of its era divided the press like this one. On press night the Independent, Evening Standard, Metro, Time Out, WhatsOnStage and Express all landed at four stars; the Guardian, Telegraph and Times gave a cooler three; and the Daily Mail gave it one star and told readers to stay home. The raves called it the funniest musical in years; the sceptics found the satire safer than it pretends to be. When the Telegraph re-reviewed the show in 2023, its verdict had climbed from three stars to five.
What the Reviews Praised
The laughs, first and everywhere. "At its best The Book of Mormon is indecently funny," wrote Henry Hitchings in the Evening Standard (4/5), and Metro's Claire Allfree (4/5) found it "helplessly funny and terrifically entertaining." The craft got equal billing: Paul Taylor in the Independent (4/5) "absolutely loved it, albeit slightly guiltily", praising songs with "bounce and bite and colour", while WhatsOnStage (4/5) called it "a cornucopia of comedy musical treats". Returning in 2023, the Telegraph's Marianka Swain (5/5) settled it for the modern era: "genuinely hilarious... remains one of the funniest shows in the West End."
Where Reviews Were Mixed
The grumbles were real and worth knowing. The Guardian's Michael Billington (3/5) enjoyed himself but called the show "a mildly amusing musical" whose landmark reputation was overdone. The Telegraph's Charles Spencer (3/5) admitted it was "often damnably clever and sharp" yet found the "mixture of satire and syrup ultimately proves repellent", conceding his was "likely to be a minority view". The Times (3/5) questioned how the show portrays its Ugandan villagers, and the Daily Mail's Quentin Letts (1/5) "tired of it after ten minutes". The pattern in the complaints: critics who wanted the satire to draw blood found a show that would rather send you home happy.
Is The Book of Mormon Right for You?
If you want the biggest laughs in the West End and strong language is part of the fun rather than a problem, book with confidence: this is the show the four-star reviews describe, and the audience reaction has not cooled in over a decade. If religious satire or relentless swearing sounds like a hard evening, believe the warnings, because the show means them. In the middle and not sure? Call us on 020 7193 9050 and we will talk it through against what you usually enjoy.
Book The Book of Mormon Tickets
Read enough? The Book of Mormon tickets are on sale with us at all-in prices: the price you see on the seating map is exactly what you pay at checkout. Prices start from around £20 booking well ahead, with prime seats around £80 to £100. Book online or call us on 020 7193 9050 and a real person will find the right seats for your night.
Sources
The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Times, The Independent, Evening Standard, Daily Mail, Metro, Daily Express, Time Out, WhatsOnStage, The Observer, West End Wilma.