A breakdown of all the characters in Oh, Mary!

Posted on 6 Jan 2026

is a riotous, darkly comic reimagining of American history that turns the life of Mary Todd Lincoln completely on its head. Blending camp, chaos, and historical satire, the play explores power, repression, and longing through a wildly unconventional lens. With razor-sharp dialogue and exaggerated characterisations,

offers a deliriously funny take on a familiar figure, seen entirely on her own terms - and its absolutely [taken the West End by storm](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/news/oh-mary-review-roundup).

This bold Broadway hit delves into the inner world of Mary Todd Lincoln and the eccentric figures orbiting her life. Set in a heightened, absurd version of the 1860s, the play leans into farce while still exposing real emotional truths. Here are the unforgettable characters you’ll meet along the way.

At the centre of the play is Mary Todd Lincoln herself, volatile, funny, and utterly uncontainable. Trapped in a rigid marriage and suffocating social expectations, Mary is desperate for attention, freedom, and something resembling joy. Equal parts tragic and outrageous, she channels her frustrations through erratic behaviour, sharp wit, and theatrical flair. Mary is the emotional engine of the show, refusing to be sidelined in either history or her own life - and you can't help but love her fot it.

### **Mary’s Husband (Abraham Lincoln)** **Played by Giles Terera** Mary’s husband is distant, stoic, and largely oblivious to her emotional needs. Preoccupied with work and his public image, he offers little warmth or understanding, creating a marriage defined by repression and imbalance. His seriousness becomes a source of comedy, especially when contrasted with Mary’s dramatic excess, while also underscoring the loneliness at the heart of their relationship. ### **Mary’s Teacher** **Played by Dino Fetscher** Mary’s Teacher represents discipline, aspiration, and the promise of refinement. Their relationship hints at Mary’s yearning for validation and self-expression, as well as her desire to be seen as more than a political wife. At once influential and unsettling, the Teacher plays a key role in shaping Mary’s inner conflicts and exaggerated sense of self. ### **Mary’s Chaperone** **Played by Kate O’Donnell** Ever-watchful and deeply judgmental, Mary’s Chaperone embodies social control and propriety. Tasked with monitoring Mary’s behaviour, she becomes both an obstacle and a comic foil, reinforcing the strict rules Mary is constantly pushing against. Her presence amplifies the play’s themes of surveillance, repression, and the absurdity of social norms. ### **Mary’s Husband’s Assistant** **Played by Oliver Stockley** Efficient, loyal, and quietly complicit, the Assistant operates as an extension of Mary’s husband’s authority. While seemingly minor, this character sharpens the satire, highlighting the power structures that keep Mary sidelined. His calm practicality contrasts sharply with Mary’s emotional volatility, making their interactions especially biting. *Oh, Mary!* takes familiar historical figures and explodes them into something anarchic, funny, and strangely moving. Through its exaggerated characters and unapologetic camp, the play challenges how history remembers women, marriage, and madness. [Book your tickets now](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/oh-mary-tickets) and experience this outrageous revisionist comedy for yourself.