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Template:Infobox musicalOperation Mincemeat is a musical comedy with book, music and lyrics by comedy theatre troupe SplitLip (consisting of David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoe Roberts).[1] The plot is based on the Operation Mincemeat, a Second World War British deception operation.
Production history[edit | edit source]
An early version of the show was first performed in 2019. Since then it has been staged in several London theatres: New Diorama Theatre (2019), Southwark Playhouse (2020, 2021, 2022)[2] and Riverside Studios (2022)[3]
The musical will transfer to London's West End for a limited run at the Fortune Theatre beginning previews on 29 March (with press nights on 9 and 10 May) until 8 July 2023.
Characters and cast[edit | edit source]
Over a dozen characters are played by the 5 members of cast, often gender-swapped.
| Main character | Original cast (2017-22) |
|---|---|
| Charles Cholmondeley | David Cumming |
| Jean Leslie | Claire-Marie Hall |
| Ewen Montagu | Natasha Hodgson |
| Hester Leggett | Jak Malone |
| Johnny Bevan | Zoë Roberts |
| Understudy | Anouk Chalmers |
Critical reception[edit | edit source]
The show received positive reviews and has been compared to the Broadway musical Hamilton.[4][5][6][7][8] It was nominated for several awards and listed in the Observer's Top 10 shows of the year.[9]
David Benedict, in his review of the Southwark Playhouse production of the show for Variety, wrote, "this is the musical you didn’t know you needed — until you see the expert cast of five embracing and racing through a clutch of preposterous yet endearing characters and musical styles, telling a story with delicious precision".[4]
Reviewing the Riverside Studios production in Gay Times, Chris Selman wrote "the songs are brilliant, the script is smart, the jokes are hilarious; more than that, though, this ingenious production manages to create an entire world and substantial cast on a shoestring budget with a tiny ensemble."[10]
Awards and nominations[edit | edit source]
| Year | Award | Category | Nominee | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | West End Wilma Awards | Best Off-West End Show | Operation Mincemeat | Nominated |
| Rising star | Jak Malone | Nominated | ||
| Best Performer In An Off-West End Show | Jak Malone | Nominated | ||
| 2019 | Stage Debut Awards | Best Composer/Lyricist | David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoe Roberts | Won |
| The Offies | Best New Musical | Operation Mincemeat | Nominated | |
| Best Company Ensemble | Operation Mincemeat | Nominated | ||
| Best Set Design | Helen Coyston | Nominated | ||
| Best Musical Director | Felix Hagan | Nominated | ||
| Best Sound Design | Dan Balfour | Nominated |
External links[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ "New Diorama Theatre - Operation Mincemeat".
- ↑ "Southwark Playhouse - Operation Mincemeat".
- ↑ "Riverside Studios - Operation Mincemeat".
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 "Variety review". September 2021.
- ↑ "London theatre 1 review". 14 June 2022.
- ↑ "Independent review". Independent.co.uk. 20 January 2022.
- ↑ "Evening Standard review". 19 January 2022.
- ↑ "Timeout London review".
- ↑ "Broadway World".
- ↑ "Gay Times review". 14 June 2022.