REVIEW: MRS PRESIDENT @ CHARING CROSS THEATRE

🎭 Mrs President

📍 Charing Cross Theatre, Villiers Street, London, WC2N 6NL

🗓 Saturday 14th February 2026

⭐️ 2 Stars

FLASH, BUT NO BANG!

It is always a thrill to descend into the intimate, arched belly of the Charing Cross Theatre, a venue that consistently punches above its weight with daring new work. This latest offering, MRS PRESIDENT, arrives as a reimagined psychological deep-dive into the fractured mind of Mary Todd Lincoln.

On paper, it has all the ingredients for a five-star triumph, but unfortunately, the result is a beautifully wrapped gift with very little inside. Before entering the theatre I wondered whether London needed two different shows about the same former American first lady - the other being Oh, Mary! at the Trafalgar Theatre - and unfortunately it seems it doesn't.

Let's start with the positives. The undisputed highlight here is the cast. Keala Settle as Mary Todd Lincoln is nothing short of magnetic. Stripped of the soaring anthems we know and love her for, she delivers a performance of raw, quiet devastation that proves just how much of a versatile actor she really is.

Opposite her, Hal Fowler is equally formidable, bringing a sinister, "mad scientist" energy to photographer Mathew Brady. Their chemistry is the only thing that keeps the production afloat.

Visually, the production is a masterclass. The creative team has conjured incredible effects that work extremely well within the tight confines of the space. Matt Powell's inventive projections and Derek Anderson's intense lighting design turn the stage into a living photographic portrait, blurring the lines between memory and hallucination with startling precision. Anna Kelsey's set design worked well too, and I especially liked the way the stage was framed.

However, no amount of technical wizardry or acting pedigree can mask the fact that the story is extremely dull. Despite a breezy 90-minute runtime, the script by John Ransom Phillips trudges along with a repetitive, heavy-handed nature that feels twice as long as it actually is.

There is no clear narrative at all. Instead this feels stale and lacklustre. This is not the first iteration of the play and I struggle to understand the development it has been through as this felt distinctly like a first draft. It's a far cry from being finished and put on stage for a paying public.

At several points during my visit, the glow of phone screens was visible as audience members checked the time, desperate for a narrative spark that never arrived. I've always said that the most important part of any show, whatever the genre, is the central story. Unfortunately this was the catastrophic downfall of MRS PRESIDENT. I genuinely had to fight to keep my eyes open and my mind concentrated on the story.

By the time the lights finally faded, the atmosphere in the room was tellingly flat. It was the most subdued applause I think I've ever experienced - a polite but weary acknowledgement of the hard work on stage rather than the standing ovation this cast deserved. This is one occasion where the cast are definitely better than the actual play.

MRS PRESIDENT continues performances at the Charing Cross Theatre until Sunday 8th March 2026.

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

CAST LIST:

Keala Settle as Mary Todd Lincoln; Hal Fowler as Mathew Brady

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 30 minutes, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Intense grief; Child loss; Mental illness; Attempted suicide; Racism; Slavery; Misogyny; Gunshot

AGE RECOMMENDATION:

12 +

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