When we poured out of New Theatre Oxford last night after watching the Olivier Award-winning musical, and surprise West End smash, Operation Mincemeat we were still euphoric. What a show!
Ribs still aching, we marvelled that not only is Operation Mincemeat an absolute gift of a musical, but that it’s also true.
Set in 1943, Operation Mincemeat tells the wildly improbable, and entirely accurate, story of a daring British intelligence mission that used a stolen corpse and fake identity to outwit the Nazis and help change the course of World War II.
How to turn these daring deeds into a musical however was down to SplitLip, who surpassed themselves with this enormously entertaining musical which whips along at a cracking pace, while ensuring that the audience is always fully on board.
So while it is an all singing, all dancing extravaganza, Operation Mincemeat also brings one of Britain’s most extraordinary wartime stories to life.
For those who didn’t see the film with Colin Firth or read Ben Macintyre’s book, Operation Mincemeat was a decoy operation to divert the Nazis from Sicily to Sardinia and Greece, to ensure the Allied landings went smoothly.
The musical thus opens in London where a team is hastily being assembled to come up with an urgent plan, under the watchful eye of John Bevan (Jamie- Rose Monk), and we are thrown head first into the song Born To Lead, in a hilarious number which sets the scene and explains the back story and its seemingly insurmountable problems.
Instantly immersed, the jokes come thick and fast, the hilarious narrative woven through the stream of funny songs and farcical elements, the cast having to actually pause to allow the laughing to die down, before being able to continue.
What is also immediately obvious is that Operation Mincemeat is an enormously ambitious production in terms of the sets (which change constantly and seamlessly), lighting, sound, costumes and choreography, to enhance the highly skilled multi-roling cast of five.
But as the plans slowly come to fruition, the enormity of what the team is planning, and its importance to the outcome of the war is given suitable gravitas, with gripping moments of tension, adrenaline, anticipation and suspense adding a necessary balance to the jollity and bravado.
Take the song Love is Bird sung by Charles Cholmondeley (Sean Carey) and Jean (Charlotte Hanna-Williams). Their comical parody of a romantic ballad is hilarious, but then Hester Leggat (played by Christian Andrews) follows with Dear Bill, which is so emotional that the New Theatre is entirely silenced, the contrast palpable as we remembered the huge personal losses experienced during the two world wars.
The second half kicked off with a side-splitting rendition of the German song Das Ubermensch – sung with gusto by Nazis complete with Hitler salutes, techno, and falsettos, which had us all howling in the aisles.
Meanwhile of course the operation gets underway; a body is secured, the right papers and clothing prepared, a submarine located, friendly conspirators coerced into helping persuade the Germans that the Allies would not land on Sicily.
At one point it looks as if the whole plan will have to be called off, cue I Call Abort, but the wheels of fortune have already started turning There is no going back, and we, the audience are on tenderhooks.
All sense of decorum is abandoned however during the last song The Glitzy Finale – when Ewan Montagu (Holly Sumpton whose stage presence is tantalising) abandons all semblance of normality, ripping off his shirt and tie, and replacing it with a top hat and sequinned blazer.
Hoisted into the air complete with crown, he/she ensures that Operation Mincemeat goes out with a bang, as the whole audience gets on their feet to give this wonderful musical a much deserved stranding ovation.
But amidst the surrealism, we are also shown footage of the Spanish grave of the ‘body’, namely that of Glyndwr Michael from Caerphilly, who was buried with full military honours, as well as doffing the cap to Bond author Ian Fleming who came up with the madcap and genius idea for Operation Mincemeat in the first place.
Operation Mincemeat is certainly one of the funniest shows we have ever seen, but it also manages to bridge the line between comedy, history and respect with great intent. We couldn’t recommend it more. An absolute must see!
Operation Mincemeat  is at  New Theatre Oxford until Saturday 4 April and selling out fast. Tickets at: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/operation-mincemeat-a-new-musical/new-theatre-oxford/
