Review: OPERATION MINCEMEAT, Fortune Theatre (Jul 2025)
Photo credit: Matt Crockett
Operation Mincemeat is an original musical created by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts, and tells the true story of a WWII secret mission by the same name. It is incredibly humorous, exploring the stereotype of the British stiff upper lip through farcical physical comedy and on the nose songs about being “Born to Lead”. We were excited to be invited to the show’s media performance last night to celebrate its new cast.
The writing is excellent, creating jokes between the actors and audience that develop throughout the show, such as continuous mentions of sangria (which also appears on a sign above the bar - a very nice touch). However, despite the undoubtedly comedic nature of this musical, Robert Hastie’s direction also taps into the clever social commentary of the source material on the evolving role of women in society, social class in Britain, and what it means to be an outsider.
A five-person company, the actors are rarely off stage, and using costume, physicality, and accents, each actor plays many characters throughout. This is masterfully done, allowing the audience to truly buy into the complex web of characters that make up this story. A particularly impressive instance of this occurs towards the end of Act One. Here, the company are simultaneously government agents celebrating at a raving bar, and navy officers sending a deceased soldier out to sea. This is one of many moments where the comedy of this slapstick musical is beautifully paired with touching emotion, taking the audience on a journey of both entertainment and empathy.
Peter McGovern is brilliant in his principal role as Charles Cholmondeley, winning the audience’s affection with his bashful demeanor and hilarious anecdotes from his youth.
Danny Becker is a true standout in his role as Hester Leggatt, a secretary for Johnny Bevan (Chloë Hart) and a true 1940s Englishwoman. Despite seeming severe and uptight, her song “Dear Bill” is touching, leaving much of the audience misty eyed. Her moments with Jean Leslie (Roshani Abbey) are particularly moving, both choosing to defy the social expectations of a woman in their time to do what is right for the country.
Chloë Hart is excellent as Johnny Bevan, and the relationship between her character and Ewen Montagu (Alex Young) make for some very entertaining arguments. The cast is, individually and as a collective, absolutely brilliant, and Jenny Arnold’s choreography leads to tummy aching laughter throughout.
The technical design for this production is equally superb, with Ben Stones’ set design creating a flexible space with hidden doors, incredible movement sequences, and more than a few surprises. Similarly, Stones’ costume design is excellent, allowing the actors to become a multitude of characters with a simple switch of a hat or jacket.
Mark Henderson’s lighting is innovative, and a standout moment is the beginning of Act One, when strobe lights, torches, and a light up grid on the back wall of the stage are combined to create a brilliantly chaotic sequence.
Operation Mincemeat is a spectacular feat of comedy that seamlessly blends satire with sentiment and wonderfully brings this true story to life.
***** Five stars
Reviewed by: Anna Nichols
