Review: Oh, Mary! (Trafalgar Theatre)

Review by Daz Gale

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

2025 has been a pretty stellar year for plays, with a mix of Broadway transfers and homegrown productions wowing audiences in the West End. There may be just one week to Christmas, and many of you may think the year has nothing more to offer, but there is one more huge play to open before we all take a breath and stuff our faces - that play is the West End transfer of the Tony Award-winning Broadway sensation Oh, Mary! Could this rather unique tale of former US first lady Mary Todd Lincoln repeat its success across the pond, or would this trip to the theatre prove as disastrous as one very specific visit to Ford’s Theatre in 1865?

Premiering off-Broadway in 2024 and quickly transferring to Broadway, where it is still enjoying a successful run, Oh, Mary! Tells the story of Mary Todd Lincoln, First Lady of the USA and the wife of President Abraham Lincoln. Though history may put the First Lady second (ironically enough) to their spouse, this play rights that wrong, placing Mary front and centre. Set in the weeks leading up to her husband’s assassination, the play focuses on Mary’s alcoholism and desires, putting a spotlight on her forgotten dreams.

There’s a bit more to the story than that, but one of the joys in Oh, Mary! is experiencing all of its twists and turns firsthand, so that every surprise lands with the desired impact. That said, if you’re looking for logic here, you may be at the wrong show, as Oh, Mary! Is unadulterated silliness, wearing its absurdity with pride. The result is a madcap 80-minute romp that never outstays its welcome and never even allows you to come up for air, such is its faultless hit-rate of laughter.

The success is down to Cole Escola’s stunning writing - never veering too far from the ridiculous factor, Escola has crafted a unique take on a piece of American history and imagined what might have transpired, to hysterical results. Though Oh, Mary! is reclaiming Mary’s story, it doesn’t take itself too seriously, and that is all part of its charm, with Escola’s writing full of brilliant one-liners and hilarious scenarios that aim to put a much-needed bit of joy back into people’s lives in what is becoming an increasingly dark time - in that respect. Escola more than delivers in one of the most joyous and refreshing plays you will see in quite some time.

Sam Pinkleton’s direction matches Escola’s writing to heighten the hilarity in every scene. Loud, proud and exaggerated choices litter the production, from how Mary throws herself around the stage to the visible reactions from characters on stage to literally everything you can think of. While Pinkleton clearly takes the direction seriously, he also fills it with as much stupidity as possible, adding to the overall success of the play.

Scenic design from dots creates a fairly simple but fun setting, but it is in Holly Pierson’s costumes where the design aspects of Oh, Mary! truly thrives, especially when it comes to the series of outfits worn by Mary - with a special mention going to Leah J. Loukas’ wig design - those bratty curls have become a star in their own right now, and to see them on stage here was simply glorious. A strong use of lighting from Cha See separates each scene with an instant blackout, allowing for Escola and Pinkleton to work their magic with the next reveal when the lights come back on.

On Broadway, there have been a series of incredible talents taking on the main role of Mary, with Cole Escola originating, and Jane Krakowski currently making audiences go wowie zowie on the other side of the pond. The first West End Mary is the sensational Mason Alexander Park, whose portrait will forever sit beside those other legends as the marvellous Marys in their show. Park was undoubtedly the standout with their small but scene-stealing turn in Jamie Lloyd’s The Tempest last year, and I waited for the day a show came along that used them for all of their incredible talents. Oh, Mary! is that show. With a great knack for comic timing, a ton of charisma and a stage presence most performers can only dream of, Park delivers an electric performance, lighting up the stage with their every appearance and never putting a foot wrong. Park is continually a joy to watch, and this character allows them to showcase all of their God-given abilities in one of the most memorable performance of the year.

Oh, Mary! draws obvious comparisons to Hamilton in the fact it is a very American story featuring a former President, so it is fitting that one of the original West End cast of Hamilton takes on the role of Mary’s Husband, with Giles Terera bringing the laughter with an over-the-top and frequently funny portrayal. Dino Fletscher is a huge highlight as Mary’s Teacher, who has more to him than meets the eye, though I am sworn to secrecy as to why. His chemistry with Park as Mary makes for the strongest scenes of the play, leaving me longing to see more of him. Maybe if they ever do a sequel? The cast is completed by Kate O’Donnell and Oliver Stockley as Mary’s Chaperone and Mary’s Husband’s Assistant, respectively - both comparatively small roles, but each with their own standout moments which both actors deliver brilliantly.

Some may worry that some of the humour of Oh, Mary! may get lost in translation. After all, how many in the UK have heard of Mary Todd Lincoln? Not only is that worry unfounded, but it is also irrelevant. Humour is universal (even if Brits do have a different sense of humour to Americans) and so is absurdity and ridiculousness - all of which Oh, Mary! is bursting with. With the Oval Office being the home to some frankly terrifying things of late, it feels good to see that setting used for laughter, and sometimes that is all you want from a show. Is it the smartest show of the year? No. But is it trying to be? Absolutely not. You could argue it does feel a little bit uneven at times, but, for the most part, Oh, Mary! is a triumph. Worth seeing if only to marvel in the gloriousness of Mason Alexander Park’s talents - if you don’t come out of there with a smile on your face, you might want to check your pulse. One of the funniest shows of the year, Oh, Mary! is the perfect antidote in the season to feel jolly.

Oh, Mary! is booking at Trafalgar Theatre until 25th April. Tickets from https://allthatdazzles.londontheatredirect.com/play/oh-mary-tickets

Photos by Manuel Harlan