Operation Mincemeat @ King's Theatre, Edinburgh
With a chameleonic cast and an impressive array of twists and turns, smash hit WWII musical Operation Mincemeat lives up to the hype
With an absolutely ridiculous (and true) premise, this story of the eponymous World War II-era MI5 operation delivers twists and turns, guided by buoyant performances from a cast of five-turned-many. While the cunning minds that hoodwinked the Axis powers in 1943 were likely not singing and dancing their plans, for two and a half hours we are very, very happy to believe they did.
Standing out among the cast is Holly Sumpton as Eton boy Ewen Montagu. Convinced of his natural leadership and hungry for notoriety, Montagu’s bravado carries the plot forward even when we’re not meant to like him. In the hands of Sumpton, it’s hard not to appreciate his constant presence – her ease in gait and voice is so palpable it thrills. Christian Andrews’ Hester Leggatt and Jamie-Rose Monk’s Francis Haselden are given particular moments to command, and deliver. “Dear Bill”, sung by Andrews, sees the audience wiping away tears as Mark Henderson’s lighting design hypnotises.
The cast move between their characters in a beat, and never miss. Operation Mincemeat is the kind of musical theatre experience that can thaw even the most cynical heart, creating an insider language of jokes, melodies and movements that reward a viewer a sense of belonging simply through their attention. While some satirical insights, and their sobering counterparts, could be pushed further, it’s easily forgiven with something so skillfully paced and packaged.
Mincemeat boasts the mightiness of a small group – in plot and in practice – and shows what can happen when, against seemingly insurmountable evil, even a few minds move as one.
Operation Mincemeat, King's Theatre, Edinburgh, until 7 Nov and Theatre Royal, Glasgow, 10-14 Nov
Touring the UK in 2027 including Eden Court, Inverness, 22-26 Jun; King's Theatre, Edinburgh, 29 Jun - 3 Jul; Theatre Royal, Glasgow, 6-10 Jul