Broadway Smash Oh, Mary! Heads to London with a Wild New West End Cast
The cult Broadway hit Oh, Mary! is storming into London this week, bringing its riotous take on American history to the Trafalgar Theatre. The one-act comedy, a surprise New York sensation, reimagines Mary Todd Lincoln not as a poised political spouse, but as an unhinged, liquor-stashing chaos agent with dreams of cabaret stardom.
Fresh off a Pulitzer nomination and an extended Broadway run, the show arrives in the West End with Mason Alexander Park taking on the role of Mary. Park, celebrated for performances in Cabaret, Much Ado About Nothing and The Tempest, promises a performance that blends emotional truth with utter pandemonium. Joining them is Olivier winner Giles Terera, who plays the long-suffering husband of this wildly invented Mary, a role he tackles with what early rehearsal viewers describe as explosive comic precision.
A Deranged, Liberating Take on History
Directed by Sam Pinkleton and written by Cole Escola, Oh, Mary! delights in overturning expectations. Though it plays with familiar American historical figures, the creative team emphasises that the tone is far from reverent. Pinkleton jokingly contrasts it to other historical musicals by saying that while some shows approach history with dignity, Oh, Mary! does so “blindfolded and covered in clown make-up”.
Escola’s script paints Mary Todd Lincoln as a volatile figure who assaults her chaperone, hoards booze across the White House and responds to political crises with utter indifference. Abraham Lincoln fares no better, portrayed as a closeted man pining for his aide rather than steering the nation. It is, in fact, an extravagant character assassination of the Lincoln family — and audiences both in New York and now London cannot seem to get enough.
The Unlikely Rise of a Broadway Sensation
Originally intended as a small, quirky off-Broadway piece performed by five actors, Oh, Mary! became a runaway phenomenon. Escola’s portrayal of Mary in the original production drew fierce word-of-mouth praise, leading to sold-out performances, a transfer to a 900-seat theatre and a rotating roster of celebrity Marys including Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski and Betty Gilpin.
The show’s success even brought Escola into mainstream pop culture, with the writer now developing a new Miss Piggy project for film.
Pinkleton says the creative team has resisted the temptation to simply heighten the mayhem as audiences grew. “As the show got bigger, the better choice was to deepen it rather than make it zanier,” he explains. “For all its outlandishness, it’s actually quite traditional in its structure.”
Mason Alexander Park’s Dream Role
Park first saw Oh, Mary! from the audience earlier this year, paying hundreds of dollars for a ticket. “It was the one show I absolutely had to see,” they recall. “I walked out and immediately called my mum. I said, ‘I would do anything to play this part one day.’”
Days later, the offer came.
Now based in London, Park says they feel more at ease working in the West End, describing the environment as comparatively low-pressure and creatively freeing. Pinkleton agrees, praising British audiences for their willingness to listen deeply before erupting in laughter. “People underestimate how funny London audiences can be. They stay with you,” he says.
Joy in Dark Times
Despite being set in the White House during the Civil War, Oh, Mary! is not a political satire. Instead, Pinkleton calls it “relief theatre” — a place where audiences can gather, let go and laugh together.
“We have been doing the most joyous thing possible during the darkest time possible,” he says. “You spend all day being inundated with what is timely. You deserve a fun night. That’s a gift.”
Production Details
Oh, Mary! runs at the Trafalgar Theatre, London, from 3 December to 25 April.
