Operation Mincemeat – Royal & Derngate

If I am honest, I knew nothing of the play, Operation Mincemeat, but I had been watching the Sky History programme, World War II, narrated by actor Tom Hanks. One of those programmes centred on a successful plan, put together by British intelligence officers, Ewan Montagu (Holly Sumpton) & Charles Cholmondeley (Seán Carey) and much to my surprise, James Bond creator Ian Fleming, who attempt to trick the Nazis into thinking the Allies would invade Greece and Sardinia, not Sicily. I was intrigued, as to how such a momentous event during WW2 could be translated into a hugely successful Olivier & Tony Award Winning Musical!

The story goes that the body of a homeless Welsh tramp, Glyndwr Michael, was dressed up as a Royal Marine and had a briefcase attached to his body, containing personal items, such as restaurant receipts, love letters from his fiancée, which identifies him as a high-ranking officer and details of the fake top – secret invasion plans. His body was carried by submarine close to the Spanish shore, then dropped into the sea, where it was recovered by some fishermen. The Spanish passed on the information to Nazi German intelligence and the deception was believed, with German soldiers being sent to Sardinia and away from Sicily, where the actual invasion took place, saving allied lives as a consequence.

Hester Leggatt (Christian Andrews)

When watching Operation Mincemeat, I do think it is important to have a little historical context, to fully appreciate the drama. I absolutely loved this musical, the cast were brilliant, I have not laughed so much in the theatre for a long time, the set & costume changes flawless and the songs were compelling. “Dear Bill”, the love letter rendition by Hester Leggatt (Christian Andrews) was a deeply emotional performance. What starts off a simple construction of a fake love letter for a corpse, slowly evolves into a considered reflection of her own grief for a long lost World War I sweetheart. It becomes a slow, emotional song of over four minutes, Andrews performance throughout was outstanding.

Charles Cholmondeley (Seán Carey)

The gender-swapping is key to the show’s storytelling. The five-person cast have to play many different characters, and by swapping role genders by casting women as male officers like Ewen Montagu (Holly Sumpton) it was refreshing to see a woman as the arrogant, confident leading man, and a man as a female character, like Hester Leggatt (Christian Andrews) who is then given the space in which to express a deep emotional vulnerability, breaking down lazy stereotypes, allowing the characters to become more believable. The script is a rapid-fire satire of British upper-class bureaucracy and classic war films, packed with visual gags and clever wordplay.

Charlotte, Jamie – Rose, Seán, Holly and Christian

The music is an eclectic mix, ranging from poignant ballads to comedic pop numbers. The music combines elements from rap, techno, vaudeville, and classic show tunes, making it incredibly catchy and dynamic. High-energy, rhythmic storytelling in “God That’s Brilliant” and I could not help but hear the empowering voices of the Spice Girls and Beyoncé in the stirring pop choreography of “All the Ladies”, supporting the forgotten women of the intelligence services.

“What do we have to lose?” / “The war…”

Traditional, witty, and fast-spoken upper-class comedy, prominent in “Born to Lead” and the acapella sea shanty in “Sail on, Boys”. Fast, brassy, satirical musical hall for songs, such as “The Ballad of Willie Watkins”. I loved the power and volume of the very loud, heavily synthesized dance music, reminding me of eighties icons Kraftwerk and Gary Numan. A big shout out to the Lighting and Sound designers for creating such a fantastic spectacle. Bright white lights and simple small torches used to great affect when highlighting the sinister Nazi forces in “Das Übermensch”.

Jean Leslie ( Charlotte – Hanna Williams)

The cast of five were all superb, Johnny Bevan (Jamie – Rose Monk) had me in stitches, too many times to recall, her ability to switch roles, swap accents and complete costume changes at the turn of a hat, was amazing to watch. Jean Leslie ( Charlotte – Hanna Williams) a young, attractive and highly intelligent woman,working as a secretary for the Security Service, MI5, was a diamond in the cluster. The underlying suggestion of a possible romance between Jean and Ewan was always lingering, despite Ewan`s sometimes arrogant and masculine attitudes.

Ewen Montagu (Holly Sumpton)

I was surprised at how quickly they managed to change character, costume and mood in this high-energy musical comedy. Alongside the slapstick humour, there is still a great deal of genuine pathos. The show questions the theme of leadership and the sacrifices of the war effort. When Hester (Christian Andrews) questions who the corpse is and what is his name, there is a real compassion and concern for the individual and humanity.

Johnny Bevan (Jamie – Rose Monk)

If you only go to the theatre once this year, make sure you catch this stunning musical, drama and comedy. Operation Mincemeat is a fast-paced, multi-award-winning musical masterpiece that seamlessly blends laugh-out-loud comedy with deeply moving historical drama. Five incredibly talented actors play a myriad of characters, swapping genders, costumes, and accents in the blink of an eye. This show is widely regarded as a modern classic and a triumph of fringe-to-West-End storytelling, so do not miss it!

“And why did we meet in the middle of a war? What a silly thing for anyone to do.”

From, “Dear Bill,” written by Hester Leggett,

Operation Mincemeat is on stage at the Royal & Derngate all this week, until Saturday July 18th.

Photography Credit: Matt Crockett