“the West End hit is still the perfect mix of ingenious, silly and moving…With a new cast, the Olivier Award-winning musical about the wartime operation is as terrific as ever”
★★★★★
Marianka Swain, The Telegraph
“Operation Mincemeat’s new cast keep the magic alive and bring a tear to the audience’s eye…This might be my second time watching the historical production, but I still find myself struggling to breathe thanks to laughing so much…[the] invasion is going well, and I hope it stays that way.”
★★★★★
Thea Jacobs, The Sun
“Operation Mincemeat opened at the Fortune Theatre in May 2023 and has been wildly successful ever since. Winning the 2024 Olivier Award for Best New Musical, it has gone from strength to strength…a hilarious history lesson, with an ingenious script, a brilliant new cast of exceptional performers, and songs that will have you reaching for your streaming service of choice to enjoy them again as soon as you’ve left the theatre.”
Nick Barr, 1883 Magazine
“I couldn’t believe the lasting impression the performance left on me…The [new] cast are undisputably talented… the show more than fulfilled my expectations, and I urge anyone and everyone to go and see it. It is a rare occasion that the West End is graced with such a brilliant new musical truly worth its salt, such as this one”
Isabelle Casey, HELLO! Magazine
“the new cast does the story proud while putting its own stamp on the proceedings…an absolute joy to watch…simply first class and the chemistry between the characters is palpable.”
★★★★★
Lisa Martland, Musical Theatre Review
74 ★★★★★ reviews and counting
Monday 20th October – Hot on the heels of a tenth extension at the West End’s Fortune Theatre and the announcement that the Olivier Award-winning Operation Mincemeat will open on Broadway at the Golden Theatre on 20th March 2025, ATG has granted an incredible eleventh extension in London, with performances now set to continue until 19th April 2025.
Until 15th February, when Broadway previews begin, tickets will be available exclusively in London. After that, Operation Mincemeat will run simultaneously in both New York and London.
Extension tickets are available on general sale on Friday 1st November at 10am from the Official Box Office here.
Following the success of the Monday ballot, it has now expanded to include Tuesday and Saturday shows to ensure tickets get into the right hands. Monday ticket prices remain frozen at £39.50, and the popular fortnightly £25 ticket lottery continues here. The first ballot draw for the new booking period from 10th March to 19th April 2025 will take place on Thursday 31st October at 2pm. Link here.
Operation Mincemeat began as a tiny (and tiny-budgeted) production at the London Fringe New Diorama Theatre in 2019. The show quickly gained a devoted following, spurring sold-out runs at venues including Southwark Playhouse and Riverside Studios. It finally premiered in the West End on 9th May 2023 at the Fortune Theatre, where it won the Olivier and WhatsOnstage Awards® for ‘Best New Musical’, alongside garnering 74 five-star reviews and counting, and has become the ‘Best reviewed show in West End history.’
The decision to write the musical was the last roll of the dice from a quartet of young British creatives after years of performing sketch shows at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and echoes the journey of Beyond the Fringe from the world-famous quartet Alan Bennett, Peter Cook, Jonathan Miller, and Dudley Moore, which premiered at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 1960, before moving to the Fortune Theatre and later to the Golden in 1962.
Operation Mincemeat entered its second year in London on the 13th May 2024 with a debut performance of the new cast, Emily Barber, Seán Carey, Chlöe Hart, Christian Andrews and Claire-Marie Hall , with George Jennings and Jonty Peach joining Holly Sumpton and Geri Allen to form the Company.
The year is 1943 and we’re losing the war. Luckily, we’re about to gamble all our futures on a stolen corpse.
Singin’ in the Rain meets Strangers on a Train, Noel Coward meets Noel Fielding, Operation Mincemeat is the fast-paced, hilarious and unbelievable true story of the twisted secret mission that won us World War II. The question is, how did a well-dressed corpse wrong-foot Hitler?
The production is directed by 2023 Olivier Award nominated Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, National Theatre – 2023 Best New Musical Olivier Award winner), following providing directorial support for the Riverside Studios run, while Olivier Award nominated Jenny Arnold (Jerry Springer: The Opera, National Theatre) continues as Choreographer. Also from Standing at the Sky’s Edge at theNational Theatre on the creative team are: 2023 Olivier Award nominated Ben Stones (Sylvia, The Old Vic) as Set and Costume Designer, Tony Award, six-time Olivier Award and Bafta Award winning Mark Henderson (Girl From the North Country, Broadway & Noël Coward Theatre) as Lighting Designer and Olivier Award winning Mike Walker (Jerry Springer: The Opera, National Theatre) as Sound Designer. Grammy Award winning and Tony, Emmy & 2024 ‘Outstanding Musical Contribution’ Olivier Award nominated Steve Sidwell (Beautiful: The Musical, Broadway & Aldwych Theatre) is Orchestrator and Vocal Arranger, while 2024 ‘Outstanding Musical Contribution’ Olivier Award nominated Joe Bunker is Musical Director. Georgie Staight is Associate Director and Paul Isaiah Isles is Associate Choreographer. Casting is by Pearson Casting. The extraordinary debut musical is written and composed by SpitLip – David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts.
Operation Mincemeat won the 2024 ‘Best New Musical’ and ‘Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical’ Olivier Awards, following receiving six nominations. These awards trail winning the 2024 ‘Best New Musical’ WhatsOnStage Award and the ‘Best West End Show’, ‘Rising Star’ and ‘Best Understudy’ West End Wilma Awards. Previously on the show’s journey, Operation Mincemeat has picked up the Off-West End award for ‘Best Musical Production’ and ‘Best Company Ensemble’ and The Stage Debut Award for ‘Best Composer/Lyricist’.
Operation Mincemeat is presented in the West End by Avalon (in association with SpitLip), who have supported since the Southwark Playhouse runs. The show was commissioned by New Diorama Theatre, co-commissioned by The Lowry, and also supported by the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat.