Little Lark of London

“Take a leap forward and don’t look back”

Operation Mincemeat, winner of the Best New Musical Olivier Award, tells the story of the titular MI5 operation hat was created to deceive the Nazis, making them believe that the British were going to invade Sardinia and not Sicily using a corpse.The show, written by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, Zoë Roberts (known collectively as SpitLip), has been on the West End since March 2023. The show originally starred Hodgson, Roberts and Cumming, who have recently left the show along with Jak Malone, who won an Olivier Award, Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical, for his role of Hester Leggatt. 

Emily Barber, a newcomer to the cast, stars as Ewen Montagu, the man who took charge on Operation Mincemeat. Seàn Carey, who was a cover in the original cast, has now taken over the role of Charles Cholmondeley, the brains behind the operation. They are joined by another newcomer, Chlöe Hart, who plays Jonny Bevan & Others, including famous Bond author Ian Fleming. Claire-Marie Hall, who has been with the show since its opening, continues to play Jean Leslie, the plucky new secretary ready to make a change in the world. At the particular performance I saw, Jonty Peach was playing Hester Leggatt, his First Cover role. Leggatt, the MI5 secretary who is aiding the agents with Operation Mincemeat, a stern and quiet woman.

It is fascinating to see how these cast members take on their roles and interact with one another, especially as someone who had seen several variations of the previous cast. Barber’s Monty is much less dramatic than Hodgson’s, becoming a smoother and subtler character without any growls in her voice to emphasise Montagu’s masculinity. At times it feels like Barber is hesitant to lean into the more ridiculous comedy of the role but does a great job of playing the swaggering hero, strutting around the stage like she owns it and the entirety of MI5. 

With this cast, Cholmondeley becomes the more comedic of the pair, with Carey playing the “lolloping sidekick” with dramatic facial expressions and a hilarious level of awkwardness, though he still has heartfelt moments that allow the audience to connect with him, particularly in the song “Dead in the Water.” The way Hart portrays her roles, especially the bafflingly-sweaty Hazelden in Huelva, is delightful, and I absolutely love how expressive she is. I have never particularly loved Bevan’s rapping segments in songs like “Bevan’s Update,” but Hart brings such an incredible energy to them that I couldn’t help but bop my head along. 

As Jean Leslie, Hall is passionate and powerful, bringing some of the best vocals of the show in “All the Ladies” and “Useful.” It is incredible to see the energy she continues to bring to the role! Hall’s minor role of Steve, Haselden’s assistant, remains a crowd favourite, getting large laughs and even some sympathetic “awwws” from the audience throughout. Acting as a kind of mentor to Jean, trying to keep her in line during the operation, Peach plays Hester as stern yet concerned for the younger woman. Peach’s rendition of “Dear Bill” is strikingly bitter, a heartbreaking moment in which the woman must relive her loss in order to prevent others from experiencing the same tragedy she did in the First World War. 

With this new cast, there are some moments that get lost, especially those in which the characters play to the audience. There is much less fourth-wall breaking in this version, which helps during more serious moments but definitely takes away from a few of the jokes throughout. That is not to say that the show is no longer funny – it’s still hilarious and the new cast has found new moments for jokes that had not been a part of the show with the previous cast. 

Ultimately, Operation Mincemeat remains a fantastic and fun show that I hope continues to thrive on the West End for years to come. The show is in strong and capable hands with its new cast and I look forward to seeing them grow in their roles!

Operation Mincemeat’s ninth extended run is until 25th January 2025 at the West End’s Fortune Theatre. More info and tickets at the Official Box Office OperationMincemeat.com

Photo Credit: Matt Crockett