Broadway: “Oh Mary” at the Lyceum

Move over, Michael Urie. Step aside, Charles Busch. There’s a new comedy diva in town: Cole Escola, the writer and star of “Oh, Mary,” currently packing them in at the Lyceum Theater.

Mr. Escola is playing Mary Todd Lincoln, complete with widow’s black dress and Mamie Eisenhower pin curls, which is your first clue that this is not your grandfather’s Mary Todd Lincoln.

This First Lady wants to eschew her normal duties and return to her life as a cabaret star, which she gave up to marry Abraham Lincoln (Martin Landry, subbing for Conrad Ricamora). As she puts it, “my career was cut short by a love affair gone horribly right." This has driven her to become an alcoholic. When she can’t find whisky in her usual hiding places, she’ll guzzle paint thinner instead.

Meanwhile, President Lincoln has his own problems, such as winning the war against the South. (“The South of what?” his wife screams.) Also, there may be something funny going on between the President and his assistant Simon (Tony Macht).

To keep Mary occupied—she’s basically bored stiff as First Lady—Lincoln hires her an acting coach so she can fulfill her dream of returning to the stage. Enter hunky John W. Booth (James Scully). When he walks onstage for the first time to give her lessons in Shakespeare, Mary sees him and detonates a drawn-out F-bomb at his beauty.

Realizing he’s got a hot mess on his hands, JWB suggests Mary audition for a role in—wait for it—“Our American Cousins” at the Ford Theater.

Want historical accuracy? Fuhgeddabout it. While Mary Todd may have been a performer in an earlier life, and Lincoln may have had M2M dalliances, there’s no solid evidence of either. Cole however presents these rumors as fact—with LOL-funny results.

As for Cole himself, he is a combination of Chaplin, Carol Burnett and the Energizer Bunny. Not only are his plot twists and jokes fast and funny, but extremely raunchy. The scene where Mary gets her chaperone Louise (Bianca Leigh) to confess to a special love for ice cream—and why—is worth the entire show.

Who’s responsible for “Oh Mary?” Besides Cole himself and director Sam Pinkerton, kudos to Mike & Carlee Productions—the power-broker producers who have propelled a number of comedians forward, including Alex Edelman.

Consider this gem of a show was originally scheduled for a 4-week run at Lucille Lortel Theater, then extended to 14 weeks—and is now on Broadway. Only in New York, kids. But “Oh Mary” must come to an end on September 15. Too bad. Dearly wish it could play four score and seven years more. So would you.

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