As an award winning musical on the West End and Broadway, you’d expect something inventive, something extraordinary, and Operation Mincemeat delivers!
The plot seems even more bizarre when you discover it is based on the true story of the British Intelligence’s secret mission that broke a few rules to win World War II. The musical Operation Mincemeat follows the British Intelligence officers’ crazy ruse to place a stolen corpse off the coast of Spain, holding false but believable top secret information. This is all done in the hopes Germany will take the bait and give the Allies a fighting chance to surprise attack them.
From the intro, Operation Mincemeat enraptures you into this chaotic but comical plot with an exclusive cast of five, each character has their own quirks and mannerisms to help the audience identify them apart! The musical numbers are fast paced and witty, boasting many stand out songs such as ‘Born to Lead’, ‘Making a Man’ and ‘Sail on, Boys’. The songs range from being sung upbeat, at a pace familiar to Hamilton or they slowly tug at your heartstrings. What caught my eye was the female empowering number ‘All the Ladies’, which in the midst of an operation headed by men felt appropriately recognised and reminiscent of Six the Musical.
Every actor’s embodiment of physical comedy is used to their advantage to exude laughter from the audience. The blunt humour and comedic timing of Holly Sumpton who plays Ewen Montagu makes Montagu a likeable leading character who doesn’t play by the books. Whilst Seán Carey’s physicality makes the character Charles Cholmondeley comically endearing. The versatility of Christian Andrews lands him as an audience favourite with his many roles, most notably as Hester Leggatt who displays a vulnerable side beneath her stiff exterior.
The set design is cleverly made to be versatile for the location changes with old rotary telephones mounted to the walls for communication and military maps spread over the backdrop. It transports you into the secret office workings of Britain’s Secret Intelligence. The numerous props and gags are hilarious because the fast paced songs demand quick costume and prop changes; the actors switch characters in seconds and do it masterfully.
Operation Mincemeat acknowledges the moral of remembering those who are due their credit in the operations. Throughout the show, you gain a feeling of togetherness as the characters bond and overcome their challenges as a team. The ending number spectacularly rounds everything up: ‘A Glitzy Finale’ promises both glitter and mishaps!
Operation Mincemeat is currently touring the UK, and it’s not one to miss out!
Rating: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
