We all know about the life of President Abraham Lincoln and his doting wife Mary Todd Lincoln. However, what if Mary Todd was a drunk aspiring cabaret singer and Abraham was in the closet and absolutely sick of his wife? That is a historical theory that the hit Broadway play “Oh Mary!” is putting forward. This comedic and campy masterpiece shows history in a new light, one that is full of chaos in the White House with Mary Todd Lincoln as the cause. Even so, you kind of root for her to cause more chaos. Written and starring Cole Escola, “Oh Mary!” has been the talk of Broadway for the last several months, causing ticket prices to go way up and people to wonder if this new play is actually worth all of the hype. I am happy to say that this play absolutely deserves all of that hype and then some. I was laughing at practically every line and each moment had me wondering what was going to happen next. While it may be a bit brash and silly for some people, the comedy is quite clever and the actors put everything they have into their larger-than-life parts. The play began previews last June and is set to be at the Lyceum Theatre until next June. You do not want to miss out on this fabulous and hilarious show before it is gone.
The play begins towards the end of Civil War, and Abraham Lincoln (Conrad Ricamora) is concerned about the state of the country amidst this strife. However, a more pressing issue on his mind is getting his wife Mary Todd (Escola) away from liquor and distracting her with a hobby. Mary Todd can be a bit off-putting, to say the least, as she lacks a filter and is insulting to everyone around her. That is the main reason why no hobby has been found for her, as every teacher quits immediately after meeting her. Even her chaperone (Bianca Leigh) is getting sick of her. Mary Todd has always had a dream of being a big cabaret star, as she was headed toward that path in her youth, so Abraham takes that interest and signs her up for acting lessons. The lessons are taught by John (James Scully) who seems to see through Mary Todd’s crudeness, and she in turn becomes fascinated by the handsome man. After all, her own husband has been giving less attention to her and more to his assistant (Tony Macht). Could this building chemistry by Mary Todd and John be a match made in heaven, or is there a different fate in store for the first lady?
“Oh Mary!” is the type of play that lives and dies by the skills of the person playing Mary Todd. One thing is for sure, Escola understands that, which makes sense since they wrote the play, and they make Mary Todd one of the wildest and dazzling comedic leads of modern Broadway. Their delivery of each comedic line is impeccable and they have excellent physical comedy talents as well. The early scene of Mary Todd trying to hide some alcohol was hysterical because of the way Escola was playing with the props. In addition, even though Mary Todd is cruel and obnoxious, Escola plays the character in a sympathetic way that makes the audience have no choice but to root for her. Another standout of the show was Ricamora as Abraham, playing the character unlike any previous portrayal. This Abraham is anxious about everything and is constantly yelling, while also trying to combat his lust for men. Ricamora goes over the top with this part, sometimes even rivaling Escola’s performance. Ricamora generates laughs from the audience through the energy he brings to the role and through his emotional reactions to the misfortunes that he experiences. The fact that the actor hams it up and goes so far away from what Lincoln usually is like is what helps make this role work and serve as an excellent foil to Mary Todd. I would also like to highlight Scully’s portrayal as John. While his part is not as showy as Mary Todd and Abraham, that does not make his performance any less impressive. He starts the show calm, providing a nice balance to the chaos that has previously been acting. In addition, as soon as Scully opens his mouth, the audience knows that this is a character that is meant to have sex appeal. While other actors take focus due to hilarity, Scully takes it in a different way. The way he flirts with Mary Todd is swoonworthy and even though Mary Todd seems so much wilder than he, Scully makes everything about John’s character in the beginning seem genuine. Now, I am not going to spoil what happens, but Scully’s talents are really used towards the end of the play, and those later scenes show just how fantastic he is as an actor. Every performer in this show knocks it out of the park, and all of them are big reasons as to why this show is a success.
A great part about “Oh Mary!” is the tightness of this script. Every line feels like it mattered, and almost all of them leave an impact on the audience, which is evident by the laughs. While there are some moments that feel like easy laughs, such as the repetition of jokes or some more juvenile humor, the majority of lines are quite clever and unexpected, causing the audience to howl with laughter. Of course, while Mary Todd gets the most funny moments, everyone in the cast gets their fair share, meaning that a succeeding humorous joke could come from anywhere. I would love to give examples of these jokes and lines, but I feel like a lot of them would be best if you go into the play fresh, so I am not going to ruin the fun. In addition, along with the hilarity, “Oh Mary!” also has an engaging story. That story may get off course at times due to some of the jokes, but it was still well put together. It was a little unclear where the play was going at first, but once the story became clear, I locked in and I had to know how everything was going to play out. There was intrigue, romance, drama, scandals and more. There were also some great surprises that threw me for a loop, but they made the story of “Oh Mary!” all the more captivating. Then there was the ending, which was spectacular in more ways than one. Not only did it perfectly tie everything together, but it was also a showstopper that turned the exaggerated nature of the play all the way up. Without giving too much, it is the ending that Mary Todd deserves. Speaking of her, Mary Todd is an absolute force throughout this play. While some plays centered around one goofy character can get tiring, in this 90 minute production, it is quite difficult to get tired of this larger-than-life figure.
Not only does “Oh Mary!” have a fantastic script, but it is also staged quite well. While the book is the main star of the play, it would not be the same without all of the directing choices that were made. These choices provided some great comedic situations, many of which involved Mary Todd’s love of alcohol. Even without people saying a word, the audience would be in a fit of giggles from the actions of characters or interactions with props. With how the show is set up, if you look away for even a couple of seconds, there is a strong chance that you are missing something historical that you are unable to see. So I am telling you, keep an eye out for the little bits of the play that display how this play is improved upon when it is brought to life. I also want to talk about the staging in terms of sets, the costumes and all of the fun moments involving props. Most of the play takes place in a makeshift White House/Oval Office, and despite the overall spoofy nature of the show, the set piece was well-crafted, and felt like something that could have been seen in a more serious play, including the desk and couch set-up. On that note, I thought it was a fun choice for the majority of the show to take place on this one set, as the simple design was able to be just a backdrop to the characters’ over-the-top antics. Plus, it also aided some of the show’s comedic moments, such as characters popping out behind different furniture and certain items being hidden, which added to the play’s unpredictable nature. Also, in terms of aesthetics, I appreciated the costumes, which were also reminiscent of the time period of the Lincolns. I will say that it looked like Mary Todd’s dress was extra poofy at the skirt, always fluttering as she walked, which I would like to believe as an extra touch to her dramatic nature. The fact that she was practically always in black added to that as well, while also possibly being a nod to her bitterness. When her dress contrasted with her cheery chaperone’s bright blue dress, emphasis was given to how Mary Todd is someone that does not want to fit into the demure norm. This production of “Oh Mary!” is not particularly elaborate, but that type of staging works fantastically because the little details are able to add to the play’s overall vibe while also making sure that there is nothing distracting audiences from the wonderful comedy in front of them.
While the nominations for the Tony Awards are not out yet, “Oh Mary!” seems like a lock to do well on the night of the awards. Of course, the Tonys might take a comedic play less seriously and give more awards to a drama, but this play feels so undeniable that it will likely leave a mark on the Tony’s somehow. It was originally supposed to end months ago, but the demand in ticket sales allowed the play to stay open for a whole year. It is utterly unique and entertaining from beginning to end. Not to mention, Escola is a revelation as an actor and a writer. Escola has taken some breaks from the role of Mary Todd, with their replacements being Betty Gilpin and then Tituss Burgess. The two of them are terrific actors, but I can not imagine them being better than Escola who is at a 100 out of 10 in terms of energy at all times. I could be wrong since I have not seen the replacements, but I have a feeling that Escola reigns supreme. Fortunately, they are back for the rest of the run, so anyone buying tickets now will get to see Escola’s magic. Though, to be fair, no matter who you see, this play’s story is brilliant and hilarious, and it is probably better to see it without getting to see Escola than not being able to see it at all, so do not hesitate on your ticket purchasing. “Oh Mary!” is the funniest play in a long time while also having a well-connected story arc. So, if you want to laugh for 90 minutes straight, or you want to see a revamped version of history that sees an iconic first couple as frenzied, mean-spirited and outrageous versions of themselves, see “Oh Mary!” today.
