Cole Escola’s Oh, Mary has certainly taken Broadway by storm this past year. Starting off-Broadway in 2024 before transferring and garnering two Tony Awards, the buzz has only grown with each new casting announcement and extension – I should know as when I went to New York this year it was near impossible to get a ticket (for further context, my hotel was two doors away from the Lyceum).
Luckily, the West End is capping the year off with a transfer starring Mason Alexander Park (Cabaret). Did I think the buzz was real after missing out on Broadway, or did I find it to be a comedy of errors?
I was gifted a press ticket in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Oh, Mary!
Cast
- Mary Todd Lincoln: Mason Alexander Park
- Mary’s Husband: Giles Terrera
- Mary’s Chaperone: Kate O’Donnell
- Mary’s Husband’s Assistant: Oliver Stockley
- Mary’s Teacher: Dino Fetscher
Rating: ★★★★★
What’s Oh, Mary! About?
Unrequited yearning, alcoholism, and suppressed desires abound in this 80-minute one-act play that finally examines the forgotten life and dreams of Mrs. Lincoln leading up to one certain event in American history.
What are my thoughts on Oh, Mary?
Far from the bedridden depressed president’s wife history has recorded, Cole Escola’s ‘revisionist’ play shines a light on the former First Lady in one word: Unhinged. Embracing the camp and ridiculousness for 80 minutes, Sam Pinkleton’s direction keeps the humour bold and brash to the point of feeling like a live action cartoon. Eliciting the kinds of belly laughs that made my stomach hurt, to some it may be as tasteless as the contents of a bucket Mary drinks in one set-piece, but at the same time that’s part of the production’s charm.
With the amount of humour it crams into its 80 minutes, backdropped by dot’s simple set of the White House drawing room, Escola’s writing never takes itself seriously but it doesn’t neglect honesty. Mary may be a thorn in everyone’s sides, but everyone is struggling to be their true selves in a world that doesn’t fully accept nor understand their deepest desires – something I think many are feeling it today’s pressing times.
What’s the cast like?
With the likes of Escola, Jane Krakowski, Jinkx Monsoon and Tituss Burgess donning Mary’s ringlets and black hoop dress on Broadway, to say Mason Alexander Park is a revelation in the West End production would be an understatement. Snarling and stomping across the stage like a feral animal looking for a hidden bottle of whisky in her husband’s office is only the start of their tour de force performance that commands the entire 80 minutes. Completely oblivious to the unrest happening outside the White House and focused on her self-absorbed aspirations, it’s the reveal her antics come from a place of dissatisfaction that make Park’s Mary feel authentic beneath the crassness.
Mary may be the star of the show, but the supporting players around her are equally as hilarious – one that unashamedly embraces the show’s queer identity. Giles Terrera (Hamilton) keeps things comparatively more straight (wink wink) as Mary’s exasperated husband, willing to do anything to distract her from his more pressing matters as the president of the United States. Kate O’Donnell brings satire of the traditional American woman as Mary’s put-upon Chaperone who at one expresses a certain desire that will never make me look at ice cream the same way.
Oliver Stockley creates the perfect companion as Mary’s Husband’s Assistant in a smaller role yet has his hilarious moments. Meanwhile Dino Fetscher brings instant charm and grandiosity as Mary’s Teacher – one that may blur the lines of student teacher dynamics.
What are my overall thoughts?
Oh, Mary! Oh, oh, oh, Mary. What else can I say really? Totally absurd from start to finish and wearing its camp on its sleeve, this is sure to brighten your day during the cold winter months. I wish I could dive into more, but your best bet is to watch it and experience its hilarity for yourself – preferably in a two show day with fellow American transfer camp comedy Titanique for the most delirious day of your life.
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