Operation Mincemeat
(l-r) Zoë Roberts, Jak Malone, Natasha Hodgson, David Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall (Photo: Julieta Cervantes)
Operation Mincemeat
By Fern Siegel (Posted 3/25/25)
The Greeks used a Trojan Horse to deceive their enemies. The British used a Trojan Corpse to fool the Nazis in WWII. The plot, dubbed “Operation Mincemeat,” was so successful, it played a key role in the Allied invasion of Sicily.
The 1943 espionage scheme sounds absurd: MI5 plants fake papers on a British corpse supplied with a false identity to trick the Germans. The operation hinges on several factors dovetailing: Nazi spies in Spain must find the corpse, then alert Hitler to the bogus invasion, wherein the Fuhrer diverts troops.
Incredibly, it works — handing the Allies a decisive victory! The story has been a book, a Netflix film and now, thanks to the comedy collective SpitLip, Operation Mincemeat is a Broadway musical comedy at the Golden Theater.
The Olivier-winning show is a true story — even Ian Fleming, creator of James Bond — played a part in the top-secret affair. And while the actual history lends itself to the thriller genre, SpitLip, responsible for both script and music, has turned it into a zany, touching, theatrical roller-coaster ride. David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts created the show in London’s theatrical fringes six years ago before landing on the West End.
Happily, the clever, fast-paced comedy has made it here. The five-person ensemble, Cumming, Hodgson, Roberts, Jak Malone and Claire-Marie Hall, is talented, versatile and wildly entertaining. They play an array of characters, though primarily one MI5 staffer. Issues of patriotism and legality are confronted.
“Is any of this legal?” asks the man who devised the plan. “Good question. The answer is, of course, never mind,” answers his senior officer.
The focus is the cause — defeating fascism. The players worked in secrecy — committed to the war effort, not personal glory. SpitLip conveys that sense of duty, while indulging in quasi-vaudevillian moments that make Operation Mincemeat so much fun.
Credit its amazing cast.
Charles Cholmondeley (Cumming) is a long-legged comedy Gumby, while Hodgson, plays the swaggering Ewen Montagu to perfection. Zoë Roberts is delightful as the head officer Johnny Bevan. Malone does a notable turn as Hester Legatt, delivering the “Dear Bill” number with poignancy and restraint, while Hall’s clerk, Joan Leslie, provides smarts, even as she endures the sexism of the era.
Shout-outs also belong to director Robert Hastie, who turns chaos into comedy gold. The show has solid production value: sets/costume design by Ben Stones, lighting by Mark Henderson, sound by Mike Walker and choreography by Tara Young.
It's tough to pull off a good screwball, which demands impeccable timing and tight writing. SpitLip does — providing first-rate comedy, drama and a touch of heart.
There is a page in the Playbill that reads “For Glyndwr Michael” 4 January 1909-24 January 1943. It took decades, but the name of the unknown corpse was found. A stark reminder that in war, the names we never learn, from the unsung agents to Michael, play crucial roles in preserving our freedom.