If Victoria Wood and Eric Idle wrote a musical about World War Two, within the model of Hamilton – you’d be someplace within the area of Operation Mincemeat.
I first turned conscious of this present in 2019 when it was reviewed for me on the New Diorama Theatre. It went on to be shortlisted for Best Off-West End Show on the 2019 West End Wilma awards (however misplaced out to Little Shop of Horrors on the Open Air Theatre). Further productions occurred at Southwark Playhouse in 2020, 2021 & 2022, after which a stint at Riverside Studios. Earlier this 12 months, after The Woman in Black closed within the West End after 33 years, Operation Mincemeat lastly made its inevitable transfer into the West End the place it has been promoting out each evening on the Fortune Theatre.
Operation Mincemeat is a fast-paced, hilarious and unbelievable true story of the twisted secret mission that received us World War II utilizing a false id, a useless corpse and willpower to out-wit Hitler.
This ensemble forged play a number of, gender-bending roles and it’s clear to see why this refreshingly British comedy has gained a cult following who return evening after evening to see the present.
Christian Andrews steals the present as Hester Leggatt, with the heartfelt rendition of ‘Dear Bill’ (a music I’ve not stopped listening to since) the place we see the softer aspect of a hard-nosed workplace busybody, lamenting concerning the unlucky aspect of falling in love throughout a battle. Natasha Hodgson (Ewen Montagu) and Zoë Roberts (Johnny Bevan) – two of the creators of the present, give flawless performances, while Seán Carey provides quirkiness as Charles Cholmondeley and Claire-Marie Hall has gorgeous vocals as Jean Leslie.
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical has prolonged its West End run for the sixth time by means of fifteenth June 2024 and I’m certain it can proceed and have an excellent life within the West End the place it belongs. British theatre at its best.
Reviewed by West End Wilma
REVIEW by Nicole Faraday – New Diorama Theatre, 2019 ★★★★★
My overview would possibly make you assume that I do know individuals on this manufacturing, or am not directly related to the corporate however I can guarantee you I’m not, however as a jobbing actress, I want I used to be.
Watching Splitlip’s “Operation Mincemeat” a musical comedy interpretation of a factual, but inconceivable, wartime occasion that ostensibly helped the allies win the battle, was exhilarating and felt like an absolute privilege. It is the primary time that I’ve been within the viewers of a brand new piece of writing like this, that was so partaking and deserving of a wider viewers that I really feel certain will probably be (if there’s any justice on the planet) the following massive factor.
The firm “Splitlip” comprising of David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoe Roberts, wrote, composed and carried out the piece, alongside the equally gifted Jak Malone and Rory Furey-King. The e book musical relies on factual occasions of a little bit identified wartime coup, involving the deception of the Nazis with deliberate placement of the physique of a homeless man on a Spanish seashore, given a false id with fabricated paperwork about his individual main the enemy to imagine that the Allies deliberate to invade Greece and Sardinia, disguising the 1943 Allied invasion of Sicily.
When you consider a musical comedy primarily based on the second world battle, it instantly conjures pictures of “Springtime For Hitler” the spoof inside Mel Brooks’ musical comedy “The Producers” and but whereas it offered infinite laughs and faultless comedic performances, this musical informed a real story that educated the viewers and moved us in equal measure. When Jak Malone (as Hester) sang “her” transferring lament, “why did we meet in the middle of a war..what a silly thing for anyone to do” of her beau, it introduced tears to my eyes as I considered all these affected in wartime who knew they might by no means see their family members once more.
Women performed males and males performed ladies on this musical, with nicely designed androgynous interval costumes by Helen Coyston. The performances have been such that you just completely purchased into the characters and have been oblivious to the gender reversal. The actors performed a number of roles with panache, fact, wit and flawless accents and I might empathise with all of them.
The songs themselves have been cleverly written, very nicely sung, memorable tunes that maintained their originality with out being contrived, whereas giving a nod to many Broadway and West End greats in model. There have been songs reminiscent (although not a replica) of Cabaret, Rent, Les Mis, Bugsy Malone, Chicago, Rocky Horror, Jekyll and Hyde and most positively Hamilton… although (whisper it quietly) I most well-liked it to Hamilton as I discovered it simpler to comply with and heard each phrase.
One of my favorite tv programmes is the BAFTA award successful “Horrible Histories “ with its comedic however informative tackle moments in historical past and this jogged my memory of that, in model and efficiency, with a multi gifted forged of storytelling musical actors, and I urge anybody with an curiosity in factual anecdotes, lesser identified tales of wartime or certainly simply an all spherical splendidly entertaining evening out, to beg, steal or borrow a ticket earlier than this present turns into the sellout it deserves to be. Bravo.