REVIEW: OH, MARY! @ TRAFALGAR THEATRE

🎭 Oh, Mary!

📍 Trafalgar Theatre, 14 Whitehall, London, SW1A 2DY

🗓 Wednesday 14th January 2026

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

GLORIOUS CAMP ABSURDITY

If you think you're heading to the Trafalgar Theatre for a dry history lesson on the Civil War, then you've definitely walked into the wrong room! OH, MARY! is a high octane, 80-minute rollercoaster of queer joy that pivots from slapstick to melodrama with such dizzying speed it'll leave your head spinning - in the best way possible,

Having seen this production last month, I sat before the show started wondering if the audience really knew what they were about to witness. Cole Escola's script is an irreverent, boozy glitter bomb that reimagines Mary Todd Lincoln not as a historical footnote, but as a frustrated, paint-stripper-swigging wannabe cabaret star!

It is unapologetically loud abd camp, and features the kind of close-to-the-edge comedy that had some patrons cackling and others shaking their heads in disgust! Honestly, this divisiveness is exactly why it's a masterclass in theatre making.

Now I want to talk about the incomparable cast. The five-strong ensemble is nothing short of sensational, leaning into the chaos with absolute precision and leaving their inhibitions at the door.

As Mary Todd Lincoln, Mason Alexander Park takes on the role originated by the writer. A monumental task indeed, but Park is a literal force of nature. They inhabit Mary with an slmost feral energy. On moment sweet, the next a biting and rigid poltergeist - sniffing out fear. Watching them navigate a hoop skirt while wailing about thwarted dreams is comedy gold.

Giles Terera is Mary's Husband. To see an Olivier winner like Terera "ham out" as a frazzled, repressed Abraham Lincoln is a total treat. He provides the perfect foil to Mary's antics, nursing his own hidden desires with a dry, sharp timing that brings some of the loudest laughs of the night.

Dino Fetscher is an absolute hoot as Mary's Teacher, the passionate acting coach. He plays the role with a brilliant mix of arousal and disgust, fully committing to the absurdity of Mary's lessons. The way he becomes more chaotic and unhinged throughout the play is riotous, joyous, and one of the best performances you'll witness on any stage,

Oliver Stockley provides a perfectly earnest, wide-eyed foil to the madness as Mary's Husband's Assistant, showing off serious comedic prowess in a role that could be easily overlooked but is vital to the rhythm.

Kate O'Donnell is simply wonderful as Mary's Chaperone, bringing a clever, parodic layer to the stage. Her interactions with Mary are raucous and bawdy, discarding any 19th-century moral conventions for pure, unadulterated hilarity. One thing's for sure, I'll never look at an ice cream cone in the same way again!

Just when you think your ribs can't take any more punishment from the constant, quick-fire gags, the show shifts gear into its final, crowning glory: the cabaret sequence. If there were any doubts that Mason Alexander Park was the absolute right choice to take over Cole Escola's crown, this is where they're well and truly silenced.

After 65 minutes of chaotic, gin-soaked melodrama, Mary finally gets what she's been waiting for all night - her chance to be a star. It's a complete pivot that could feel like filler in lesser hands, but here it is oure ecstasy. Park delivers a vocal performance that is as powerhouse as it is parodic. Watching them command the stage with such styalised, animalistic concentration while draped in a magnificent over-the-top costumes is a literal masterclass. It's camp, it's absurd, and it's the perfect sensational payoff for a character who spent the whole play being a nightmare to be around.

It's a bold ending that proves history is way more fun when you throw the rulebook out and replace it with a glitter bomb. If you aren't on your feet by the end of the musical madness, you might want. to check your pulse!

Director Sam Pinkleton has steered this production with tonally assurered precision. It's a riotous romp that dares you to keep up with its breakneck pace. It's rude, it's crude, and it's the most fun you can have in the West End right now.

Believe me when I say you don't want to miss this one. Click here to check availability and book tickets via London Box Office now. OH, MARY! is playing until Saturday 25th April.

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 reviewer.

My ticket for this performance of Oh, Mary! was gifted by London Box Office who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST LIST:

Mason Alexander Park as Mary Todd Lincoln; Giles Terera as Mary's Husband; Dino Fetscher as Mary's Teacher; Kate O'Donnell as Mary's Chaperone; Oliver Stockley as Mary's Husband's Assistant

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 20 minutes, with no interval

CONTENT WARNINGS:

Strong language; Sexual references; Gunshot; Severe blackouts

AGE RECOMMENDATION:

14 +

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