Interview: West End performers Roshani Abbey and Danny Becker on OPERATION MINCEMEAT
Photo credit: Matt Crockett
Following four 2025 Tony Award® nominations, including Best Musical, and two 2024 Olivier Awards®, including Best New Musical, Operation Mincemeat announced its 15th extension at the West End’s Fortune Theatre back in May. We spoke to new cast members, Roshani Abbey and Danny Becker, about joining the production and its ongoing success.
15 extensions?! Why do you think people are loving Operation Mincemeat so much?
Danny: I know—it’s quite amazing, and so deserved! I think the reason we’re now on our 15th extension comes down to how this unbelievable true story is told. If you don’t know, it’s the five of us telling this epic World War II story in the silliest, funniest, and at times most heartwarming and moving way. It’s pure genius, and I think people can’t get enough of that—especially in times like these, when we’re all looking to feel connected and uplifted by stories of human ingenuity and tenacity.
Roshani: I really believe there’s something in it for everyone. Wit, physical comedy, satire, dad jokes, theatre magic, singing, dancing, silly fun, heartbreak, joy, pathos, and so much heart!
For people who haven't managed to see the show yet, what is it about and who do you play in it?
R: The show tells the true story of a gang of misfits at MI5 who engineered the secret operation that changed the course of WWII! I mainly play Jean Leslie, a young ambitious woman new to MI5 who is determined to make her mark and create a place for herself in the intelligence service.
D: I play about 26 different characters throughout the show, but my main role is Hester Leggatt, the head of the secretary pool at MI5. She’s a wonderfully buttoned-up, stiff-upper-lip type with a very gooey centre—and she’ll absolutely break your heart. I adore playing her every day.
Why do you think this true story lends itself to musical theatre so well?
R: The mix of comedy and heart. The music threads the story together brilliantly, and heightens the journey for the characters involved. The story is so unbelievable - we’re already asking people to suspend their disbelief on the plot so what’s so outlandish about people singing and dancing?!
D: I think it works so well as a musical because the stakes are incredibly high. When a story is that heightened, music just fits—it helps elevate the emotion and urgency. Telling it through a musical comedy lens also keeps the audience constantly engaged and laughing, which stops it from becoming a dry “history lesson”—which it absolutely isn’t! The pace and tone are so fast and full of energy, and that really mirrors the tension and drive behind the real-life events.
What made you want to be part of this show?
R: The variety and the challenge! I’ve been wanting to do something very different for a while, and I get to do a bit of everything in this show which is extremely fulfilling.
D: To be completely honest, I didn’t know a huge amount about the show before I started auditioning. What drew me in was the character of Hester. I could tell she wasn’t being portrayed in a heightened or panto-dame style. From what I’d read, I knew they were approaching her with subtlety and nuance, which really intrigued me—it was something I hadn’t had the chance to explore before. I just had a gut feeling that it would suit me, and I’m so glad I trusted that.
What has been a highlight from being part of this show so far?
D: There have honestly been so many highlights—and I’m only a month into the run! One of the biggest for me has been working with this exceptional cast and creative team. I feel incredibly grateful to be part of a company that cares so deeply about the work, but also has such a brilliant sense of play. It makes coming into work and telling this story each day an absolute joy.
R: The cast! Both on and off stage they are wonderful and I feel very lucky to share a space with them every day.
This is a show that started out in small fringe venues. How important is it that these venues keep being supported?
R: So important. If we want exciting new work and a variety of viewpoints, we need to diversify the medium so that most shows aren’t from the usual three or four big commercial companies. The only way we can do that is to support the writers that don’t have instant access to those opportunities. There’s so much fantastic British writing without funding, and the way we can help is by supporting their shows when they’re in their infancy!
D: I think it’s absolutely vital that fringe theatre—both in the UK and globally—is financially supported and celebrated as much as possible. Fringe spaces are where some of the most free, creative work can happen, because they’re not bound by the commercial pressures that larger productions often face. Some of the most impactful theatre begins in those spaces. Just look at SIX, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, and Operation Mincemeat—brilliant examples of what can come out of fringe theatre when it’s given the support it deserves.
Why should people come and see Operation Mincemeat now, or come and see it again?
R: Come get your healthy dose of laughter and heart, the audience and the cast honestly create such a fantastic energy together it’s guaranteed to be a fantastic night out.
D: If you love to laugh, get swept away by an incredible true story, and maybe even shed a little tear, then you absolutely should come and see our extraordinary show. And if you’ve seen it before, come again! This new cast is bringing our own unique energy to the piece, which naturally brings out new flavours in the show. Plus, there’s just so much detail packed into every performance that a second (or third!) viewing lets you catch things you might have missed the first time around. It’s a joy to discover more each time.
Operation Mincemeat continues its extended run at the West End’s Fortune Theatre until 28 February 2026 and launches its world tour with a 40-week UK run, beginning on 16 February 2026 at the Lowry in Salford.