Funniest show right now - TBOM vs. Priscilla

[groucho797]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 11:45pm

Have seen both in the past week, so here's my thoughts: I saw Priscilla Friday, 3/18 and Book of Mormon last night (3/25). Maybe the order matters, but I thought Priscilla was howlingly funny and Mormon moderately so. Whenever the Ugandans are onstage, Mormon just lights up all over the place; and the Act 2 opening number was something I'd always wanted to see on Broadway (it didn't disappoint). BUT, Priscilla was so full of gleeful madness from beginning to end that it just gets my vote. Perhaps it's satire vs. silliness - or perhaps Priscilla is really satire in makeup and Mormon is the one that's truly silly, just not sure. All I know is that I howled all through Priscilla; it was like Tex Avery in drag.

Yeah, Mormon will sweep the Tonys (after all, so did Spamalot). But Best Actor in a Musical and Costumes belong to Tony Sheldon and the show. Guess I was in a different mood from the critics; I will say crowds for both nights were wonderful and enthusiastic, and that was way cool to be part of, if you'll pardon the preposition (or even if you won't).

So what are YOUR thoughts?
Updated On: 3/26/11 at 11:45 PM

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/26/11 at 11:49pm

Saw Book of Mormon Wednesday night and Priscilla this afternoon. I thought Mormon was a great new musical and very well-written, and I thought Priscilla was just a delightful time. I laughed a lot more at Mormon than Priscilla, but I certainly thought Priscilla was funny.

[groucho797]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 12:01am

It does seem to indicate that order is important; it's a tough call, admittedly.

[After Eight]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 12:06am

No contest: "Priscilla."

[JP2]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 12:16am

Priscilla is just a delight. A roaring good time, I'd say. Mormon, on the other hand is just off the wall hilarious.

But they're two completely different shows, and styles of humor. They both succeed in their own rights as far as I'm concerned.

[kadu335]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 12:19am

It's hard for me to chose because I loved them both. TBoM is a better show overall, but i think I enjoyed my Priscilla "experience" better.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 12:22am

Another thing is expectations. I expected Mormon to be pretty phenomenal, and it was. I expected Priscilla to be a mediocre but fun jukebox show, and it turned out to be a lot more meaningful, a lot funnier, and a lot more enjoyable than I could've ever imagined.

Also, I think Mormon was engineered to get laughs. That's pretty much its sole purpose (and it succeeds greatly). Priscilla is a comedy, but it has more to it. So there are fewer funny moments, I think.

[once a month]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 12:49am

Personally, I laughed more often and harder at Priscilla, but I'm an old show queen! I enjoyed both, but Priscilla is the only one I'm seeing again!

[AlfieByrne]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 1:17am

I laughed a lot in both of the shows. But in Priscilla, I couldn't stop smiling during the entire performance. I enjoyed The Book of Mormon, but it just didn't exactly reach my expectations. I'd go see Priscilla again and again, on the contrary.

[TheatreDork3]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 2:04pm

Wow - apparently a number of us are on the same page here. I saw both shows last Saturday. I saw Priscilla first and then TBOM. Actually, I really enjoyed Priscilla more. I had a gay old time at Priscilla. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoyed TBOM, but really was expecting more than I got.

Admittedly, as a tall person in the first row of the Mez, I felt like I had been squished into a sardine can, so my lack of knee room (let along where the hell were my legs supposed to go). I just wasn't as overly enthusiastic as I had wanted to be about TBOM. I would still recommend the show, and it's head over heels better than most of the stuff out this season.

TD

[taylorPHENOMENON2]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 3:11pm

I can not even believe this is a serious question.

[TheatreFan4]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 3:12pm

Why not?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 3:15pm

I thought PRISCILLA was a bland, pointless jukebox musical that took a giant shlt on an amazing film for the sole purpose of putting another boring jukebox musical onstage with no originality just to make a few bucks. It really boggles my mind that people are enjoying this show because the group I went with couldn't wait to get out of the Palace that night.

MORMON, however is a riot and hands down the best new musical of the past few seasons.

[Q]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 3:22pm

"Mormon was engineered to get laughs. That's pretty much its sole purpose"

Really?

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 3:23pm

Wait, you're not actually suggesting that a comedy was written to get laughs...are you?

[ReggieonBway]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 3:27pm

TBOM is hilarious, Priscilla was quite frankly a piece of crap. It had its moments, but overall it just really wasn't good.

[groucho797]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 4:30pm

Well, it's hard to consider the question serious since we're dealing with comedies here.... but that doesn't make it less legit.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 4:35pm

I meant to say that Mormon is a satire, and a piece that is intended to be ridiculous and funny. It is telling a story, but it does so through a very comedic lens. Priscilla just has funny lines.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 4:39pm

That were much more effective in it's far superior film.

[bwayfan7000]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 4:45pm

I really need to get down to watching the movie since I enjoyed the show so much.

[Patash]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 5:14pm

Jordan, remind me to stay away from your friends. Sure, Priscilla is mindless and just fluff, but I honestly feel sorry for anyone sitting through and not "waiting to get out of the theatre" -- how sad for them they couldn't relax and enjoy it for what it is.

Sure it was meant to entertain and make a lot of money off the movie. If anyone saw the movie, what would you expect from the Broadway musical version? -- deep meaning? classy dialog? a score of new music? I'm curious why anyone who hates that type of show would go to it unless they had no idea what it was.

Updated On: 3/27/11 at 05:14 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 6:13pm

"Jordan, remind me to stay away from your friends."

You got it. As for feeling bad, I feel bad for anyone sitting through that crap and feeling like theyre getting something other than a show That was thrown together with no artistic merit and made only to separate people from their money.

So I guess we can both just feel sorry for each other. From afar.

[Patash]

Posted: 3/27/11 at 7:06pm

OK, but clearly you have many, many more people to feel sorry for than I do!!!! Try not to get too depressed feeling sorry for the thousands who love this show every night. And I'll try not to get depressed feeling sorry for your friends who couldn't wait to get out of the theatre. Fair enough.