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★★★★★
When I think of recent British musicals, my mind always jumps straight to SpitLip’s ‘Operation Mincemeat’ which has taken the West End by storm since it debuted at the Fortune Theatre in 2023. Coming from small beginnings, the show’s journey through various fringe and off-West End venues to Theatreland was something quite remarkable, and its success has proven how important it is to invest in new writing for the stage. Whilst the show continues to run in London, the musical is also currently on a UK Tour and this week it is at the Marlowe Theatre here in Canterbury. I was fortunate enough to watch the show on press night and three years on since I first watched it in London, this musical continues to be a sublime example of what theatre can be. Five cast members bring to life over 80 characters, taking audiences through the unbelievable WWII operation that changed the trajectory of the war efforts for the allies.
About the show
The musical is based on the real-life mission of the same name that saw intelligence operatives use a corpse to deceive the Nazis into invading Sardinia over Sicily. The events take place in London at MI5, where the brains at the centre of the scheme Charles Cholmondeley (Seán Carey), Ewen Montagu (Holly Sumpton), Jean Leslie (Charlotte Hanna-Williams), Hester Leggatt (Christian Andrews) and Johnny Bevan (Jamie-Rose Monk) collaborate to come up with the ultimate plan of deception. It is a comedy retelling of the most remarkable story, complete with utterly brilliant songs, hilarious characters and a heartfelt underlying message.
Scaling for the tour
The West End production takes place in the intimate 400+ seat Fortune Theatre and this is possibly what I was most apprehensive about when I first heard that ‘Operation Mincemeat’ was going to be touring. I was intrigued to find out how the musical would scale to much bigger stages, but I really had nothing to worry about, the company of five performers completely made the space their own and commanded the audience’s attention. In a bigger venue, I also found Mark Henderson’s lighting to have even more impact, creating such varied atmospheres on stage, from the tension of the mission itself to the celebratory nights out led by Ewen Montagu.
Cast performances
It goes without saying that this is an incredibly demanding show, and this company gives it their all, navigating between the characters seamlessly. For me, the dual and multiple roles are largely what makes this show so impressive, and I thoroughly enjoyed the differences in the characterisations. Standout characters are Christian Andrews’ Hester Leggatt and Holly Sumpton’s Ewen Montagu. Andrews’ performance of ‘Dear Bill’ is so emotional and heartbreaking, forming one of the most beautiful and stripped back numbers of the entire show. Sumpton’s portrayal of Ewan Montagu also has so many layers, showcasing the arrogance, abrasiveness and lack of discipline, alongside a real appreciation of Charles Cholmondeley’s brilliance and a yearning to help the troops out fighting.
Musical theatre at its finest
The touring production of ‘Operation Mincemeat’ is an absolute smash-hit. From sensational vocal performances to exquisite comedic delivery, the show has everything you’d want from a musical. You leave the theatre marvelling at the talent of the company, the comedic genius of SpitLip’s writing and the technical brilliance of the creative team. ‘Operation Mincemeat’ is at the Marlowe Theatre until Saturday 23rd May, with the last few tickets available via the venue’s website.
*My ticket for the show was gifted in exchange for an unbiased review.
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