Oh, Mary at Trafalgar Theatre Review

Stuart King 19 December, 2025, 09:46

Using the same comedy formula which created Broadway’s surprise 2024 success, the team responsible for OH, MARY! has crossed the pond and set up stall at the Trafalgar Theatre.

Mason Alexander Park in Oh, Mary! Photo by Manuel Harlan

Cole Escola’s Tony award winning comedy is crammed to the rafters with historical facts and tidbits. More significantly, he has also been wholly unapologetic in taking liberties and adding a sizeable slug of creative licence. The resultant romp set in 1865, is a distinctly irreverent mash-up of known period details and a ton of crude, lewd and downright jaw-dropping scenes in which Mary’s alcoholism is parodied whilst simultaneously finding time to present the many reasons which caused her to feel trapped, silenced, ignored, disrespected and a host of other injustices which resulted in her turning to drink and behaving erratically.

The most contentious elements in the show are also the ones which cause the greatest surprise and loudest laughs. In the main they are reserved for, and laid squarely at the feet of Mary’s husband Abraham Lincoln (played, complete with a host of questionable personal foibles, by Giles Terera). The former President is painted as an unfeeling tyrant with his fair share of skeletons in the closet, not to mention Clinton-esque under the desk shenanigans and more than a passing acquaintance with his eventual murderer. For her part, Mary just yearns for a creative outlet — perhaps something in the performance arts perhaps! — which sets up a fun and frivolous, raced-through, crowd pleaser ending, but not before engaging in some studious preparatory work with the assistance of Mary’s Teacher (Dino Fetscher).

oh mary trafalgar theatre review Oliver Stockley, Mason Alexander Park, Giles Terera and Kate O’Donnell in Oh, Mary! Photo by Manuel Harlan

Directed by Sam Pinkleton, the show is delivered at a zany, Gattling Gun pace, with precision timing from the entire company. But understandably it is Mason Alexander Park’s night, who nails every biting put-down, scathing rebuke and sharp observation with a natural aptitude for comic timing and movement which would be the envy of the best farce actors.

The neat and simple set by design outfit dots, requires momentary black-outs for the crew to make changes and the cast to reposition. These are achieved remarkably quickly and with minimal sound - a testament to teamwork and drilling. The remaining cast members are: Kate O’Donnell, Oliver Stockley, Georgie Lagden, Mehran James McCullough and Miles Paloma.

OH, MARY! continues at the Trafalgar Theatre until 25th April 2026.