I first encountered the comedic talents of Cole Escola in the underappreciated television series At Home With Amy Sedaris (which I loved). During the isolation days of Covid I streamed and blogged about a bunch of shows including “Help, I’m Stuck!” which was a recording of a silly show they performed. “Oh, Mary!” has arrived downtown and, as they say in the biz, we are live! Time to skewer and slay.
The Mary of the title refers to Abraham Lincoln’s wife. The play opens with Abe busting into his office with his assistant. He is in a mad frenzy to find where Mary has hidden the liquor bottle. He bellows “no one is safe while my wife has access to booze!” The tone of the play is established immediately. This one’s going to be a big broad historical spoof.
Mary Todd Lincoln is reimagined as a “well known niche cabaret singer”. Hanging out in the White House with her prim chaperone is soooooo boring. She yearns to be back on the stage where people crave her “short legs and long medleys”. Abe is against the idea, to put it mildly.
Not so honest Abe cannot imagine what people will think. The Civil War is still raging. How would it look if the President’s wife was flitting around in a cabaret act? “Sensational!” she exclaims. He finally agrees to hire a teacher to give Mary acting lessons. That’s all the plot you need to know.
Cole Escola has written this extremely funny play and it’s a sturdy branch on a family tree which includes Charles Ludlum and Charles Busch. Mary is deliciously foul and nasty. And that’s before she finds the hidden bottle. Jokes are splattered everywhere. Even the portrait of George Washington is utilized for a great laugh. Think vulgar, narcissistic Lucille Ball meets Virginia Woolf.
Escola’s performance is madcap and zany but also smart and cleverly detailed. The audience roared throughout this eighty minute celebration and reincarnation of campy hilarity. Many jokes are crude, the physical comedy is classic and, as you might suspect, at least one man on stage might be a closeted homosexual. Cue the hijinks and have a blast.
The supporting cast excels. Conrad Ricamora hits the bullseye playing Mary’s beleaguered husband who has a few secrets of his own. Tony Macht is Abe’s very able assistant who knows how to play the game. Bianca Leigh is Mary’s chaperone. Mary insists she tell one of her secrets and swears she won’t tell. That will happen and it’s unforgettably ridiculous and ultimately hysterical.
Last but not least, in the tradition of all drag homages to previous camp classics, there is a hunky male character. James Scully is Mary’s acting teacher. She is extremely abusive to him. Mary wants cabaret not Shakespeare. You know this female train wreck only knows one speed and that is “me, me, me”. And we, we, we are the lucky recipients of her screamingly funny largesse.
There are ample twists and turns in this extended sketch. To describe them is to spoil the fun. Special kudos to Scenic Designer Dots who created a perfect and surprising stage for all the antics which will unfold. The torch has been successfully passed in New York’s downtown camp comedy scene. I cannot wait to see what’s next. In the meantime, pass the whiskey Mrs. Lincoln. We all want a sip too.
“Oh, Mary!” is running at the Lucille Lortel Theatre until May 12, 2024. Take a minute to gaze at the theatrical photos displayed in the lobby. Like this play, they purport to be historical.