Operation Mincemeat
Grade: Overall C+
Operation Mincemeat is, in a word, “slick shit.” The production’s five-actor roster, stretched to portray a dizzying array of over 80 characters with a gender-bending twist, is an audacious feat of theatrical acrobatics. Prop-driven antics, rapid costume changes, and a madcap energy drive the narrative from the opening number “Born to Lead” to the bittersweet “Dear Bill.”
Dear Bill" is, without a doubt, the emotional centerpiece of Operation Mincemeat. In this standout moment, Jak Malone—portraying the indomitable Hester Leggatt—delivers a performance of raw vulnerability and unexpected tenderness. His rendition transforms what might have been a tongue-in-cheek number into a moving ballad that speaks volumes about the human cost behind wartime machinations.
The show’s premise—a cheeky retelling of the real-life WWII deception that used a corpse to bamboozle the Nazis—offers ample scope for satire and spectacle. Yet, despite its kinetic pacing and inventive staging, the musical misses the mark in a few key areas. The choral numbers lean heavily on wordiness rather than memorable melodies, making the score feel more like a recitation than a suite of earworms. Compared to the finely honed writing and performances of similar productions like The 39 Steps, Operation Mincemeat feels like it has all the ingredients but lacks the finesse to blend them into something truly delectable.
Unfortunately, once the operation is complete and deemed a success, the show suffers from an excess of conclusions. A one-man showcase of Monty—the eccentric writer behind the screenplay and orchestrator of the operation —followed by a sentimental dedication to the real person who was the forgotten corpse, unnecessarily extends the running time by 20 minutes, diluting the impact of the show’s more potent moments.
That said, the show exudes a distinctly British flavor—dry, sarcastic, and laced with a melancholy haphazardness reminiscent of The Play That Goes Wrong. If the music were given more thoughtful attention, this brash, irreverent romp might have soared to a B- or higher. As it stands, though, the production is a wild, raucous, and charmingly flawed spectacle—a bold, if not perfect, homage to both history and the offbeat spirit of British comedy.