Make a day out of 'The Book of Mormon' in London

Enrich your study of The Book of Mormon with a unique south-east London museum, an iconic religious and historical landmark, and delicious African food.

Julia Rank1 December, 2024, 09:00

Created by South Park’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone with Robert Lopez, The Book of Mormon arrived in London from Broadway in 2013 and audiences immediately embraced its outrageous humour. Casey Nicholaw’s production won four Olivier Awards, including Best Musical and Best Actor for the late and much-loved Gavin Creel. It still boldly sets forth on its mission of adventure and spiritual enlightenment every night as odd couple Elder Price and Elder Cunningham head to Uganda.

Did you know? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints has more members in England than in any other country in Europe. The western New York-established denomination was founded in 1830 and made its first mission to England in 1837. One of its more influential English members is the former MP Terry Rooney, who represented Labour for Bradford North from 1990 to 2010.

Read on for our guide on how to make your visit to The Book of Mormon all the more entertaining and adventurous.

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Horniman Museum and Gardens

Adventure off the tourist trail to the leafy south-east London neighbourhood of Forest Hill (a short train ride from London Bridge or Victoria), and discover Horniman Museum — a real lesser-known gem of the London museum scene. Founded in 1901 by Frederick Horniman, the son of tea entrepreneur and avid collector John Horniman, its collection is difficult to define, including displays of anthropological objects, natural history, musical instruments, and taxidermy animals (including many African objects).

There’s no better place to satisfy your curiosity about other cultures. The museum has been brought into the 21st century with sensitive curation and hosts many family-centred activities. It won the Art Fund’s Museum of the Year award in 2022 and in the same year, returned looted Benin Bronzes and other objects to Nigeria. There’s also an aquarium, a butterfly house, and beautiful grounds. Eclectic is an understatement – and it's all free!

Address: 100 London Road, London SE23 3PQ

Price: Free

Museum of Comedy

The Book of Mormon is one of the funniest shows around and a museum dedicated to the art of comedy can be found in the crypt of St George’s Bloomsbury (a Nicholas Hawksmoor church). Founded by comedy venue Leicester Square Theatre’s director Martin Witts on April Fools’ Day in 2014, it’s both a museum and 72-seat comedy venue.

In this cosy venue, admire Bill Bailey’s iconic 6-neck guitar, the back door of the van from Only Fools and Horses, original Spitting Image heads, and music hall star Little Tich’s shoes as you watch all sorts of wacky and hilarious acts doing their thing.

Address: St George’s Bloomsbury, Bloomsbury Way, WC1A 2SA

Price: £

St Paul’s Cathedral

The characters in The Book of Mormon are guided (to a certain extent) by their faith and London has many religious buildings that are steeped in history and open to everyone. St Paul's Cathedral is perhaps the most iconic of all (well, in a tie with Westminster Abbey). Designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the English Baroque style following the Great Fire of London of 1666 (in which “Old St Paul’s” was destroyed), St Paul’s as we know it was completed in 1710 and has been a fixture of the skyline ever since.

With its remarkable architecture, topped by its iconic dome, St Paul’s has hosted numerous state occasions, including the 1981 wedding of Prince Charles and Lady Diana Spencer. Images of St Paul’s holding firm amid the fire and destruction of the Blitz are among the most famous of World War II. Filled with history, art, and music, it’s an awe-inspiring experience whether you’re religious or not.

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Price: ££

Address: St Paul’s Churchyard, London EC4M 8AD

Chishuru

London has an ever-developing African food scene, though many are located away from the centre of town. While Uganda, where The Book of Mormon is set, is in East Africa, try Chishuru in Fitzrovia for modern West African cuisine. The three-course dinner menu is priced at £95 and the lunch menu £45. Expect strong flavours – the restaurant says, “If you have no tolerance for spice at all, we recommend choosing a different restaurant, sorry.” It’s been an extraordinary year for founder Adejoké Bakare, who became the first Black female Michelin-starred chef in the UK in February, and she was named “Chef of the Year” at the National Restaurant Awards 2024.

You can also venture further afield to areas including the Old Kent Road, Brixton, Hackney, and Tottenham for other African cuisines. South Tottenham has its very own Ugandan restaurant, Jambo, run by and for the local community. Specialities include matooke-based dishes (a form of banana) and all kinds of meat and vegetable stews.

Address: Great Titchfield Street, London W1W 8AX

Price: £££

The Lion King

The Book of Mormon owes a considerable debt to The Lion King, and Disney in general. Elder Price is obsessed with Disney and hopes to be posted to Orlando, Florida – alas, there’s no Disneyworld or Disneyland in Uganda. In the village where he and Elder Cunningham wind up, the locals have a saying, “Hasa Diga Eebowai”. “Does it mean no worries for the rest of your days?” asks Price, thinking of “Hakuna Matata”. Not exactly – it means “F—k you, God”.

Julie Taymor’s production is celebrating its 25th anniversary in the West End this year and rightly so. The score by Elton John and Tim Rice is irresistible and all the design components, including puppets, masks, costumes, and make-up, are simply breathtaking. And, unlike the adult-only Book of Mormon, it’s perfect entertainment for the entire family!

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The Book of Mormon

Hello! Time to take your seats, the Mormons are in the house! Join Elder Price and Elder Cunningham on their adventures as they embark on their first Mormon missionary posting to Uganda. It isn’t quite what they had in mind – poverty, famine, and AIDS are rather outside their comfort zones, yet they make friends with the locals and introduce them to Mormonism, helped by plenty of pop culture references.

The hilarious, yet often touching, songs include “You and Me (But Mostly Me)”, “All American Prophet”, and “Tomorrow is a Latter Day”. You won’t be able to get the tunes out of your head for days to come!