Oh, Mary! West End Review: Camp Comedy & White House Farce
“Oh, Mary!” is described as a rollicking, bad-taste comedy, an 80-minute farce-of-a-farce that brings (more) disrepute to the White House. Originating from a 2009 idea by comedian Cole Escola, the play reimagines Mary Todd Lincoln as a frustrated wannabe cabaret star, stifled by her VIP husband, Abraham Lincoln. The production revels in its outrageousness, offering a “fresh way to laugh at the White House” without the usual existential dread. It aims for “bucket-loads of camp gales of laughter,” providing “dashed good throw-away entertainment.”
The play features numerous scandalous examples, such as Mary Todd Lincoln humping a desk, an aide pleasuring her husband from beneath it, and the post-coital POTUS vowing, “No more gay!” Another instance includes a Civil War-era exchange where Mary’s husband exclaims, “I’ve won the war!” to which Mary retorts, “The south of what?!” The review also alludes to Mary performing “something vile with a bucket.” Mason Alexander Park’s performance as the “catty boozehound” Mary, whom her husband calls “That Fucking Witch,” is highlighted as a standout. Park’s “half-possessed flawlessness” and the way her “hysterically impractical crinoline dress becomes a prop that magnifies Mary’s abysmal traits” are praised as strong benefits, capable of carrying the show.
While the article doesn’t detail explicit “risks” for the audience, it suggests the show’s “bad taste” and “sleaze” might not appeal to everyone. It also questions whether “Oh, Mary!” will achieve the same “bombshell impact” in London, a city already accustomed to boundary-pushing comedians like Kim Noble, as it did on Broadway. Despite this, the production is seen as a vibrant, if not universally impactful, comedic experience, currently booking at the Trafalgar Theatre until April 2026.
(Source: https://londonist.com/london/on-stage/oh-mary-west-end-review)
