What Was The Play Lincoln Was Watching

Okay, so picture this. You're a president with the weight of a fractured nation on your shoulders, and you think, "You know what would really unwind me? A mediocre comedy at the theater." This. This is what Abraham Lincoln did on the night of April 14, 1865. And honestly? He deserved a laugh after everything he'd been through.

The Show Was Called Our American Cousin

The play Lincoln chose that fateful evening was Our American Cousin, a comedy written by the English dramatist Tom Taylor. Now, "comedy" is doing a lot of heavy lifting here because, by all accounts, it was about as side-splitting as a trip to the DMV. That said, it was wildly popular at the time, so the Lincoln family must have thought they were in for a good time.

The story revolves around an awkward American, Asa Trenchard, who visits his British relatives and embarrasses absolutely everyone around him. Think "awkward cousin at the family dinner" but dressed in 1800s fashion. The whole thing was supposed to be hilarious, and judging by how much America laughed at a goofy American making fools of British people, it worked excellently.

The Lincolns Were Running Late (Because Of Course They Were)

Lincoln and his wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, were originally supposed to attend the performance that afternoon but pushed it to the evening. Apparently, even receiving presidents can't keep a theater schedule. They finally arrived in the state box of Ford's Theatre about ten minutes into the first act.

By that point, the audience was already settled in and the show was rolling along. The Lincolns' grand entrance drew some attention, but nobody made a huge fuss about it. After all, the president coming to the theater in Washington, D.C. was hardly unthinkable.

Yes, Lincoln Was Actually Enjoying It

Here's the thing that gets me — Lincoln was reportedly having a good time. Eyewitnesses noted that he was laughing quite heartily at the jokes, and one scene in particular and touched Mary's arm with delight. That's right, the man who held the Union together could still crack a smile at a silly punchline.

Abraham Lincoln Death Photo

Mary, for her part, was not so entertained. President Lincoln's assassination changed her life and so much of ours.

Then Things Went Bad — Really Bad

Of course, what happened next shifted Lincoln from seats-wide-from-laughing to something far more permanent. At approximately 10:15 PM — during the second act — actor and Confederate sympathizer John Wilkes Booth crept into the state box and shot the president in the back of the head. Every single joke died in that moment, and so did Abraham Lincoln.

Booth then leaped onto the stage and allegedly shouted the famous line "Sic semper tyrannis!" meaning "Thus always to tyrants." To be honest, Booth was probably the least funny person in the theater that night, even by Our American Cousin's standards.

The Play Kept Going For a Few Seconds (Yes, Really)

If there's one absolutely bonkers detail in all of this, it's that some people in the theater didn't immediately understand what had happened. The play actually continued on for a few seconds before everyone realized there was a body on the floor. Can you imagine being an audience member who was so deep into Act Two that you missed a presidential assassination?

What It Was Really Like The Day Abraham Lincoln Was Assassinated

When the horror finally clicked, total chaos erupted. People rushed toward Henry Rathbone, the Army major who would shortly attack Booth and injure his arm seriously. The stage, the seats, the atmosphere — all of it went absolutely haywire in a matter of seconds.

In Defense of the Play's Legacy

Now, we can talk about Lincoln's assassination all day, but let's give Our American Cousin Its due for a moment too. The play itself originally premiered in London in 1858 and became a sensation, launching the career of the terrific American comic actress Laura Keene. She was actually on stage that night, playing the character of Mary Moffett.

Keene rushed to the box to help the president, which was beyond brave considering everything was happening right under her nostrils. She would later refuse to leave his side and later became known as the actress who was on stage when a president was shot. That is a resume line like no other.

Actor Who Played Abraham Lincoln 60 Photos - Moonagedaydream.film

What Happens to a Show After This?

After the assassination, Our American Cousin was basically burned to the ground in terms of reputational damage — an unfortunate given. It became so associated with the tragedy that theaters everywhere almost pretended it never existed. The play's label of "the show Lincoln was watching" hasn't exactly kept the box office lines forming to this day.

Ford's Theatre itself was closed by federal order and sold to the U.S. government shortly afterward. It traveled through multiple uses over the years before being restored as a museum and working theater that still hosts performances to this day. And yes, you can visit it — they will not actively pigeonhole you to pay for tickets.

So, What's The Takeaway?

Lincoln, a man who carried the burdens of a war-torn nation, just wanted an evening escape — and he chose what amounted to the 1865 version of a cheesy sitcom. He laughed through the first act. The laughter would stop one act later. It's a jaw-dropping reminder that history can change in an instant, from chuckles to a darkness that echoes through every generation.

Yes, the comedy was Our American Cousin, but the tragedy entirely eclipsed it. Few plays in history have such a cursed connection to events beyond storytelling. So next time you sit down to watch a bad comedy, just be grateful nobody's behind you with a derringer — Lincoln's unfortunate luck can teach us that.