On Broadway OH, MARY! This Bawdy Play was a Drag

"Oh, Mary!" is a bawdy, comedic take on Mary and Abe Lincoln set during the last days of the Civil War. Mary is performed in drag by the show's playwright, Cole Escola, donned in a flouncy hoop skirt and knickers. Mary is portrayed as a conniving alcoholic and petulant pest to her besieged husband consumed with fighting the war to save the union. It's a credit to Escola's commitment to portraying Mary's peevishness that 'they' bring a frothy hilarity to her self-absorption. Good old Abe (Conrad Ricamora) has a lot on his plate to contemplate while keeping his wife's wile's within reason, satisfied. The President has his own needs for an outlet to release pressure. Honest Abe, lover of men, bargains with the Almighty to win the war and finds his assistant (Tony Macht) ready and willing to serve him above and beyond the call of duty; beneath his desk while on his knees. Abraham Lincoln gets his portrait repainted as a repressed, gay man. To distract Mary from becoming inebriated, Abe hires an actor to give Mary lessons for acting in the theater. Mary's female chaperone has a salacious secret taste of her own and is forever being thrown down the stairs by her. Abe is determined to assuage her from aspiring to her real aspirations for performing cabaret as it's unsuitable for a First Lady. The actor Abe hires is none other than John Wilkes Booth (yes, that Booth) to work with his wife. It appears the two quickly become smitten with each other and plot to abscond together to Canada. Alas, tis a ruse with Mary being used as Abe and John are actually secret lovers. There's a lot to swallow in this slapstick, frenetic farce. Some will be in stitches following the zany antics. Others may find it somewhat droll. Anyone who would perceive this as a disrespectful, irreverent play, please, just stay away. Personally, I found it somewhat amusing but more confusing as to why most in the audience were bellowing with laughter.  Exploring Mary's neurosis and Abe's sexual proclivities in an impudent comedy did strike some high, hilarious notes. There's a clever historical twist at the end and an added bonus of several cabaret numbers performed with gusto by Escola accompanied on piano. But, just so you know, I was far from slayed by the show.