My father was a big fan of Milton Berle. He often quoted one of Berle’s most famous lines: “Laughter is an instant vacation.” With national and international events as they are right now, I sought out two shows in particular this month that proved theater can be a wonderful escape from the news, and that sharing laughter with strangers is one reason “theater matters.”
The North American tour of one of 2025’s finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in Drama, “Oh, Mary!” had a short, sold-out run at the Belding Theater at The Bushnell in Hartford from Sept. 19-23. An irreverent, brilliantly staged, wacky interpretation of First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln in the days leading toward her husband’s assassination has won many awards, including the Tony for “best actor in a play” for the author/performer, Cole Escola, and the Tony for “best direction of a play” for Sam Pinkleton. Additionally, Escola made history as the first openly nonbinary performer to win in this category.
It’s almost impossible to describe the play without any spoilers, but whatever you may think this play is about, it is even larger than the sum of its parts.
Originally staged off-Broadway and later on Broadway, the play became famous not only for its combination of Monty Python-like humor, drag cabaret and music-hall styles but also for a rotating cast of well-known performers playing various parts.
Escola originated the role of Mary, but the part has been played by notable performers such as Bowen Yang, Jane Krakowski, Tituss Burgess, Maya Rudolph, Betty Gilpin and well-known drag performers like Jinkx Monsoon, and the star of the production at the Bushnell, Alaska Thunderf**k, who is also known as the co-writer of the Broadway show, “Drag: The Musical.”
The very talented J. Harrison Ghee, who received acclaim as Lola in “Kinky Boots” and Jerry/Daphne in “Some Like It Hot” on Broadway, was originally scheduled to play Abe Lincoln, but had to drop out for health reasons. They will return to the touring company in January to play Abe, and later, Mary. John-Andrew Morrison stepped into the role billed as “Mary’s Husband” and commanded it with split-second timing and enormous appeal.
One element that makes “Oh, Mary!” unique is the blind gender- and race-based casting. Once the play starts, the audience must hang on tightly as the energy and plot move like an Amtrak Acela train. It’s not surprising that The New York Times called the show “one of the best-crafted Broadway comedies in years.” Since opening on Broadway, “Oh, Mary!” has broken a box-office record 15 times.
I’ve heard very few negative criticisms of the show, but some call the humor “sophomoric” or “raunchy,” and it’s true that this show will not please everyone. Sitting in the Belding Theater, the smaller of the two Bushnell theaters, added to the intimacy of the experience and reminded me of another patron who was appalled by the opening number in “The Book of Mormon,” clearly unaware that it was written by the same team that brought “South Park” to television.
But if you can handle the script’s campy elements and execution, you may find this is a memorable production that shows the constant evolution of theater and socially accepted portrayals. The HBO version of “Oh, Mary!,” recorded in London’s West End with Escola, will be released sometime in 2027 — a welcome release and at least a short “vacation.”
A bit absurd, but a lot funny
Another welcome release from reality was staged at Shakespeare and Company’s Elayne P. Bernstein Theater in Lenox, Fridays through Sundays from Sept. 4 to Oct. 4. “The Norwegians” is set in Minnesota, where two women, Betty and Olive, hire a pair of Norwegian hit men to kill their exes. One problem, though, is that these hit men are the nicest thugs you’d ever hope to meet.
Written by C. Denby Swanson and masterfully directed by James Warwick, this dark comedy reminds one of the film “Fargo.” Beyond the accents and the warm clothing needed to suggest a cold climate, the script is clever, twisting and very, very funny.
Four exceptional actors known to many who frequent Berkshire theater make up the cast: Elizabeth Aspenlieder as Betty, Peggy Pharr Wilson as Olive, Michael F. Toomey as Tor, and Mark Zeisler as Gus. Betty is from Kentucky and Olive is from Texas, so their foray into the frozen north where they meet Tor and Gus has the right balance of cultural specificity and American regionalism. One element that I found particularly effective was that Gus is portrayed as only being “half-Norwegian,” and therefore is never completely taken seriously as a representative of the Minnesota zeitgeist.
Set design and costume design were by Arthur Wilson, lighting design by Luke Willson, a clever sound design by Vincent Pruchnick, and some hilarious choreography by Kristen Peacock, assisted by Nick Nudler. Director Warwick blends these elements into a tightly effective ensemble where every detail works to build the comedy — including “snow” on the overhead cables.
This is a hard script to pull off. It is not always linear, but the “flashback” sequences, including a combination line-dance/beauty pageant combination, provide some hilarious moments as the four actors dance/stomp their way into each other’s hearts, while winning the audience’s hearts in the process. These people are Minnesota nice, despite their desire for revenge and murder. Each actor has plenty of moments to shine, but this production shows how a singular vision allows the audience to absorb the absurd situations.
The play was first produced off-Broadway in 2013, and the author, C. Denby Swanson, a Smith College graduate, came to Lenox to provide some updating and tweaking for the production. It’s probably a tribute to Swanson and Warwick that the additions appear seamless, effective, and (with tongue in cheek) believable.
So when you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by reality, why not take a break and see some theater? There’s nothing like laughing with strangers, together, in a comfortable place where you realize you’re not alone and that humor and heart can sometimes lift your spirits, like a good vacation. That’s why “theater matters.”
Former Communication Professor Jarice Hanson writes, performs, and reviews theater throughout the region. “Theater Matters” combines reviews and social critique of a wide variety of performances in the Valley and environs.