Good morning, and welcome to Broadway News’ Broadway Review by Brittani Samuel — our overview of reactions, recommendations and information tied to last night’s Broadway opening of “Oh, Mary!”
RUNDOWN
Upon walking into the Lyceum Theatre for the new Broadway comedy “Oh, Mary!”, there’s a chance that you know little about its central character, former President Lincoln’s wife, other than her name: Mary Todd Lincoln. Walking out, you might know even less. That’s because Cole Escola’s wild hit, their first full-length play, is defiantly ahistorical. Escola, a proud ham and cabaret veteran, did not set out to make a damning political satire with “Oh, Mary!” The show, set against the backdrop of a nation mucking through war, disease and division, is exceedingly silly. President Lincoln calls on United States military generals to control his wife; Mary (played by Escola) is a booze-addicted slosh desperate to reignite a fledgling cabaret career; and nearly every person is queer and/or riddled with kink. Escola’s zany, imagined account of a major moment in American history — the play is specifically set in the leadup to Lincoln’s assassination — is a relief for anyone looking to have an intellect-less evening in the theater, though less satisfying for those who demand their comedy sit higher up the brow.
