Guest Blog: 'I Was Walking One Day When I Felt Her Spirit': Playwright John Ransom Philips on the Evolution of MRS PRESIDENT

Mrs President, a timely, historical drama exploring the relationship between Mary Lincoln and celebrated US photographer Mathew Brady is about to open at the Charing Cross Theatre. Brady is considered the father of photojournalism and the first celebrity photographer, who is credited with helping Abraham Lincoln win the presidency. 

Vilified by the US elite and accused of treason, Mary turned to Brady to help reshape her image. The play imagines a series of encounters between artist and subject at different points in their lives as their partnership descends into a tense battle of wills for creative control and autonomy.

Artist, playwright and historian John Ransom Philips tells BroadwayWorld about how Mary Lincoln's spirit and story found him.

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As a painter, I’ve always approached my work with the belief that once a painting is finished, it’s complete. I never go back to add more colors or eliminate brushstrokes. Each piece is a moment in time, frozen in its final form. But when I ventured into the world of playwriting, I found myself in completely new territory. Unlike painting, the written word invites evolution. A play is never truly “done.” It transforms, grows, and contracts.

This revelation came to me during the ten-year journey of writing Mrs. President. The play didn’t start as the two-character piece it is today. It began with twelve characters, each contributing their voice to Mary Lincoln’s story. Over time, as I revised, edited, and rewrote, I realized I was distilling her story, peeling back layers to find her voice. Characters were added, others removed. Words were rearranged, reimagined. Every draft brought me closer to Mary.

It was a deeply personal process. For years, I had been interested in Mary Lincoln—not as a historical figure, but as a human being. We often see presidents and first ladies as icons, larger-than-life symbols of their time. But I’ve always been fascinated by their inner lives: their psychological struggles, their relationships, their grief, and their desires. Mary’s life, in particular, was filled with tragedy.

The journey to Mrs. President began unexpectedly. I was walking through New York City one day when I felt her spirit. I know that might sound strange, but I experience the world as a realm of energy. Spirits are part of my life, and that day, Mary Lincoln’s presence surrounded me. I saw her, but more importantly, I heard her. She said, “I want you to tell my story.”

At first, I resisted. Mary Lincoln’s story has been told countless times. History remembers her as the “insane” First Lady, the woman whose son had her committed to an asylum, the widow who witnessed her husband’s assassination. But as I began to connect with her—through research, imagination, and intuition—I realised her story was incomplete.

In writing Mrs. President, I wanted to give Mary the space to grieve. This play is about resurrecting her humanity and allowing her story to be told with empathy and understanding. But it’s also about the audience. Mary’s story asks us to reflect on our own experiences and relationships. Who defines who we truly are? How do societal expectations shape how we express pain, joy, or even our sense of identity? These questions are as relevant today as they were in Mary’s time.

As both a painter and writer, this project has transformed me. Writing has taught me to embrace change and evolution in a way painting never has. When you see Mrs. President—perhaps at the Charing Cross Theatre—I hope you feel Mary’s presence, her voice, her grief.

If you’re very lucky, you might just find yourself sitting next to her.

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