Operation Mincemeat: The West End Hit That Lives Up To Every Rave
I'd only heard raving reviews of Operation Mincemeat from everyone I know, for years. Having finally seen it, I can confirm all of them are true. It is one of the most interesting and original musicals I've seen recently. The story is moving, the soundtrack is wonderful, and every single song has you hooked. If Six and Hamilton had a child somehow set in World War II, this is what the soundtrack would be like. The song ‘Making a Man’ is certainly not leaving my brain anytime soon and I don’t think a day will come where ‘Dear Bill’ doesn’t bring tears to my eyes.
Operation Mincemeat is based on the true story of the 1943 British intelligence deception, in which a corpse carrying false documents was used to mislead Nazi Germany. An invasion of Sicily was necessary for the Allies to have the advantage of the war and to make it happen they needed a military advantage too, which they gained by deceiving the Germans and convincing them they had other plans. It is a 2024 Olivier Award winner for Best New Musical, and it has been called the best-reviewed show in West End history. It is now in its fourth year at the Fortune Theatre and has just extended for the 19th time, now booking until 29 May 2027. After seeing it, that is easy to believe.
It is so funny that you will never stop laughing, and then it will also bring tears to your eyes. I couldn't stop laughing for songs on end, only to be surprised by them being moved to tears, by the stories and the depth of what the characters say and feel. The occasional reminder of the real story and the people behind what’s now a musical don’t fail to bring us back to the reality of the lives given in this and every war. You can feel the nerves of the story itself, and the entire audience was sharing the characters' feelings in hoping the mission would end well.
I also found it touching to see special people in the crowd who were clearly moved by personal stories at specific points in the musical. Everyone was so involved. The whole crowd was laughing all night, and the show, I know now, will never get old.
The most surprising thing is that five actors create so many characters, personalities and layers of story. With endless costume changes, accents, and the speed of superstars, they create an incomparable cast of characters in this world. The costumes are spectacular, and as I left I couldn't stop hearing people comment on them too.
I had the privilege of seeing Madeleine Jackson-Smith as Ewen Montagu ("Monty"), the main character, Colm Gleeson as Hester Leggatt, Chlöe Hart as Johnny Bevan, Benjamin Durham as Charles Cholmondeley, and Amy Parker as Jean Leslie.
Every actor is unreal, out of this world, but I have to single out Madeleine Jackson-Smith. She is captivating, and you cannot tear your gaze away from her. She plays the cocky, arrogant man who thinks he's funny, and somehow it's so perfect, that she actually is. She had the entire audience hooked, and I had a genuinely hard time looking anywhere else from the very moment she first stepped on stage.
Colm Gleeson plays Hester Leggatt, Montagu's secretary, in a very Mrs. Doubtfire situation. He is so immersed in the role that you can't tell the actor isn't a woman, and the perfect one
for the job. However, as a particular favorite, his version of ‘Dear Bill’ and ‘Useful’ with Amy Parker are so touching, so pure, so full of feeling backed by incredible talent, that he makes them some of the best songs of the show.
It closes with the glitzy finale, which is as spectacular as promised. It takes you through the main points of the mission again, funnier and more wonderful than before, and it even leads to flying acrobatics from ropes in the ceiling that had the entire theatre gasping in shock.
On top of everything else, the theatre staff were so kind and joyful to everyone, which surprised me. You could tell everyone there enjoys working on this show, with genuine smiles all over the place.
I can't stop saying how much I loved it. Everyone in the audience last night was in love with the production, including me. It is a musical that will not fail. I want to go every week for as long as it's on, and I hope it stays in the West End forever, so if you haven't seen it, my professional recommendation is: go. If you have, rewatch it, because I definitely will.
Book at the Fortune Theatre, now running to 29 May 2027
Edited by Aminata Ndiaye, Theater Editor.
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