Oh, Mary! Review at Trafalgar Theatre Starring Catherine Tate

Oh, Mary! is the uproarious Tony Award-winning comedy written by American playwright and performer Cole Escola, first premiering Off-Broadway in early 2024 before transferring to Broadway’s Lyceum Theatre that July, where it became one of the season’s most acclaimed new works. Premiering in London earlier this year at the Trafalgar Theatre, the West End production opened to an incredibly enthusiastic response. 

The play has garnered major accolades, including multiple Tony Awards, Drama League Awards, New York Drama Critics’ Circle, Olivier Awards and was named a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Since its explosive debut, the title role of Mary Todd Lincoln has quickly become one of the hottest tickets in theatre, with acclaimed performers taking over from Cole Escola on Broadway, including Tituss Burgess, Jane Krakowski and Jinkx Monsoon. On this side of the pond, Mason Alexander Park opened the West End production and now hands over Mary’s bratty curls to none other than British comedy legend Catherine Tate, marking the beginning of the Tate administration. 

Directed by Tony Award winner Sam Pinkleton (Broadway’s current revival of The Rocky Horror Show playing at Studio 54), Oh, Mary! follows the miserable, suffocated First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln in the weeks leading up to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. Trapped by expectation, social convention, and her proximity to power, Mary spirals into frustration and obsession as she yearns for recognition, freedom, and something more than the role history has assigned her. The result is a wildly irreverent reimagining that uses heightened comedy to interrogate repression, ambition, and the performance of femininity under relentless public scrutiny. 

The current West End production of Oh, Mary! stars Catherine Tate (West End credits include Sleeping Beauty at the London Palladium) as Mary Todd Lincoln, Kate O’Donnell (Big Girl’s Blouse) as Mary’s Chaperone, Oliver Stockley (Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club) as Mary’s Husband’s Assistant, Dino Fetscher (The Normal Heart) as Mary’s Teacher and Scott Karim (RSC’s Wendy & Peter Pan) as Mary’s Husband. 

Oh, Mary! may have a cast of just six, but by the gods are they mighty. Oliver Stockley gives a hilarious performance as the young and innocent Mary’s Husband’s Assistant. Hugely embraced by the audience for his wonderfully put-upon nature, Stockley’s Assistant is charming, endearing and thoroughly entertaining for all the right reasons. As Mary’s long-suffering Chaperone, understudy Georgie Lagden was a sensation. Making the role entirely her own, she brought crisp comic timing to every scene, finding layers of exasperation until she couldn’t take any more. Lagen is also the understudy for Mary, and having seen her as the Chaperone, it’s easy to imagine she would bring something very compelling to the title role. As Mary’s Teacher, Dino Fetscher is perfectly cast. Matching Mary’s energy throughout, Fetscher gives a wickedly sharp performance, proving that teachers who can, should. His comic timing is impeccable, and his ability to spar with the madness around him makes the role land beautifully. As Mary’s Husband, Scott Karim is deliciously absurd. One moment delivering grand, gravely deep presidential tones, the next gleefully prancing around the stage with complete abandon, Karim throws himself fully into the production’s chaotic energy. His ability to switch from authority figure to ridiculous physical comedy in an instant is consistently hilarious and he plays the heightened style of the piece with complete confidence. 

Escola’s brilliantly sharp text is in very safe hands with Catherine Tate, who delivers a stonking performance as Mary Todd. Holding the audience in the palm of her hand throughout, Tate balances razor-sharp comic timing with gloriously chaotic energy. Leaning fully into the role’s bratty absurdity, she makes every tantrum, side-eye and nonsensical outburst land with precision resulting in a performance that feels both effortlessly funny and completely assured. 

Having seen Oh, Mary! early on during Mason Alexander Park’s administration, I can happily say the show has gone from strength to strength. Many actors have stepped into the role of Mary Todd in Oh, Mary!, each bringing their own interpretation to the character. While I understood in theory that every performer would offer something different, it wasn’t until seeing Catherine Tate that the full scope of that idea really landed. The production feels like a living, evolving piece of theatre, shaped by whoever is in the role at any given time. It makes me even more curious to see what other actors will discover in Mary next. 

Oh, Mary! is a riotous triumph, bursting with energy and mischief. Fearless, razor-sharp and deliciously unhinged, it’s a show that refuses to play by the rules and is all the better for it. Fans of the play are in for a real treat with the arrival of the Tate Administration, while fans of Catherine Tate are about to see her as they’ve never seen her before. So don’t delay, book now and witness Mary reign supreme in all her outrageous, hilarious chaos before this administration leaves office! 

Catherine Tate performs in Oh, Mary! at Trafalgar Theatre until 18 July 2026.

Where I Sat

For this performance, we were sitting in C12 and C13 of the Dress Circle. It was our first time up there, and as we sat down and looked around, my boyfriend said there really didn’t seem to be a bad seat in the house. As one of the more modern theatres in the West End, the Trafalgar Theatre feels designed for today’s audiences, with comfortable seats, good leg room and no noticeable restricted views.

Have You Seen Oh, Mary?

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Reviewed by Stuart James for SeatPlan, May 2026.