L-R Claire-Marie Hall, Chlöe Hart, Seán Carey, Emily Barber and Christian Andrews in Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre, London. Picture: Matt Crockett
Operation Mincemeat continues at the Fortune Theatre, London, currently booking until 25 January 2025.
Star rating: five stars ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Musical Theatre Review first covered the award-winning British musical Operation Mincemeat at the New Diorama Theatre in 2019 and then twice in 2022 at the Southwark Playhouse and Riverside Studios. Having given the production at Riverside five stars, critic Ian Bowkett wrote: ‘With this incredible cast [David Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall, Natasha Hodgson, Jak Malone and Zoë Roberts], and at such a brilliantly realised point in its development, you would be a fool to miss this future British classic.’
When the show transferred to the West End, led by that very cast, it was slated for an eight-week season, a run that has now been extended nine times (booking through to 25 January 2025),
To give the situation some context (for the few of our readers who have been hiding in a dark cave miles away from the world of musical theatre and don’t even know what a Mincefluencer is), theatre company SpitLip’s Cumming, Hodgson and Roberts – along with Felix Hagen – are the ones that have been creating and refining this gem of a show about winning the Second World War ‘with a magic trick’ since its Fringe debut five years ago.
To witness the company winning Best New Musical at this year’s Olivier Awards, along with Malone picking up Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical, was a huge moment for those who had followed the show’s journey and supported new musical theatre.
Cumming, Hodgson, Malone and Roberts became so associated with the show, that when they made their farewells recently, it wasn’t easy to imagine other performers stepping into their shoes – but the change of staff seems to have been achieved without a hitch.
SpitLip’s relevant, universal, witty and moving writing has as much impact now as it ever had, and the new cast does the story proud while putting its own stamp on the proceedings.
The intelligence mission in 1943 to create a convincing, fictional back story for a homeless corpse, drop the body of the invented ‘Major William Martin’ off the southern Spanish coast with false papers indicating to Hitler that the Allies were about to invade Sardinia where the Nazis had little presence, was a pretty bonkers idea. Nearly as bonkers as writing a musical based on the story, and yet in the hands of these brilliantly original creatives, it continues to jump off the page.
It’s also good to report that while slick in its pace and comic timing, Robert Hastie’s nifty production stays true to the show’s Fringe roots. The five performers have their main characters to play but also take on a host of other roles just by changing hats, costumes or props. This multi-tasking mania is an absolute joy to watch and yet always serves the narrative at the same time. The scene that switches between late-night partying in London and the submarine crew demonstrating its respect to ‘Bill’ as he is dropped into the ocean is a wonder to behold and pretty moving too.
The new roll call (although Seán Carey and, as mentioned before, Claire-Marie Hall, have a long association with Mincemeat) is simply first class and the chemistry between the characters is palpable. The gender-blind casting still works brilliantly too, adding an extra layer of meaning to the dynamic between the male and female characters, and an intensity of feeling when these individuals are confronted with the fear and loss of wartime.
Ewen Montagu is a tricky character to negotiate, for while he spots the potential in Charles Cholmondeley’s plan, as well as in new member of staff Jean Leslie, he can be a huge snob who bypasses integrity if it means getting the job done. However, Emily Barber navigates these different traits admirably, never allowing her performance to become a caricature.
Carey makes for a charming, slightly eccentric Cholmondeley, someone who is keen to fight for what’s right in the most heightened of circumstances. And it is brilliant to see the awesomely talented Chloe Hart as the tough but fair boss Johnny Bevan; it’s enormous fun when she doubles up as the Vice-Consul in Act II, MI5’s colourful man on the ground in Spain.
Hall remains excellent as Jean, determined to prove her worth in a male-dominated environment and growing in confidence as she becomes integral to the planning of the mission.
She also has a very sweet relationship with Christian Andrews’ Hester Leggatt, the MI5 matriarch exhibiting a quiet strength who explains to Jean the importance of making a difference to people’s lives because you care, and not in order to chase plaudits and medals (even if that’s very tempting). It’s very special that it is Hester who has become such a presence at the Fortune Theatre since Operation Mincemeat started its West End run there with the Mincefluencers doing their detective work about the real person on which the character is based. A plaque recognising Hester’s contribution to the operation now takes pride of place in the theatre foyer.
Andrews is a standout in the role, bringing heart, humour and an emotional depth to the portrayal and her rendition of the tear-jerking ‘Dear Bill’ is something to treasure.
A huge amount is expected of an Operation Mincemeat ensemble, from the wordplay and slapstick to complex character work and movement (huge credit to choreographer Jenny Arnold for her joyful approach). But none of the hi-jinks take over from the importance of telling the story and of course, in the end, sharing the real Bill’s history (Welshman Glyndwr Michael).
Accompanied by Mark Henderson’s atmospheric lighting, Ben Stones’ set (also costumes) speaks to the origins of the show, with maps and battlefield grid references, clipboards, phones and desks, all of which imaginatively become a whole host of other settings. Credit to musical director Joe Bunker – can there be only four musicians in the band? – who brings Spitlip’s delightful score to life as it jumps from musical theatre to pop to nostalgia to rap to sea shanties to patter songs (sound design by Mike Walker, orchestrations and vocal arrangements by Steve Sidwell).
In the programme notes SpitLip comments on how they felt when they were a small group of people who dared to dream about pulling off something big, just like that small gang of MI5 staff hoping to make an impact on the result of the Second World War. Let’s hope companies creating new musical theatre are given the freedom to follow in their footsteps.
Lisa Martland
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