We were kindly invited to the opening night of Operation Mincemeat at the Wycombe Swan last night. What. A. Show. It’s a relatively new musical – yes, that’s right, musical – that was born on the fringe in 2019 and has since gone on to win multiple Oliviers, a Tony, a Broadway run, and now this tour.
I’m underlining ‘musical’ as it caught me off guard when opening the programme. I’d read the Ben Macintyre book at least a decade ago, and while it was gripping and entertaining, it never struck me as a ‘dinner and a show’ type of job. But here we are; SpitLip have taken this remarkable true story and set it to an eclectic, moving score, with echoes of Hamilton and Six in the way that so much of the action and dialogue is told through the lyrics. We’ve got ballads, we’ve got rapping, some Beyonce-inspired pop, even German techno.
The less you know, the better, as part of the show’s wonder comes from the sheer audacity of the story. Suffice to say, it's 1943 and a small branch within MI5 has been tasked with tricking the Nazis into believing the Allies plan to invade Sardinia, so they'll move their forces away from Sicily, where the invasion is really coming. The small team, commanded by John Bevan, come up with Operation Mincemeat. The brains behind the plan is Charles Cholmondeley, Ewen 'Monty' Montagu leads the charge, and they're supported by the ladies in the secretary pool, Jean Leslie and Hester Leggatt.
The five-strong cast is absolutely incredible. They each play multiple roles and there’s a fair amount of gender-bending too. The differentiation between the parts is so effective that it feels like a much bigger production than it actually is, and the physical comedy is easily some of the best I’ve ever seen.
The stand-out performances for me were Holly Sumpton who completely bodies the part of Monty with a cut-glass wartime radio accent, an easy arrogance and some of the funniest line deliveries in the show, and Christian Andrews as Hester Leggatt whose rendition of Dear Bill brought a tear to my eye.
The comedy is almost side-splitting. I caught myself guffawing at a level I’ve rarely guffawed at in a theatre thanks to the sharp dialogue and fast-paced physicality. But what’s so impressive about this production is that the comedy sits alongside moments of real depth; whether that’s Hester’s quiet revelation of the enormous losses that so many faced during the war, the sexism faced by working women, or the recognition of an unacknowledged hero. Yes, it’s hilarious, but it’s much more than that.
Did I enjoy it? Does a newt have an anus? (Yes to both.)
Operation Mincemeat is at the Wycombe Swan until Saturday 3rd October, so you've only got this week to catch it. Tickets are available here (online only). It's recommended for ages 5+, though I'd say it'll go down best with older kids who know a bit about the war.
Image credits: Phil Tragen and Matt Crockett
Making an evening of a trip to the Swan? Our guide to where to eat in High Wycombe includes Noodle Nation next to the theatre, as well as other restaurants around town.
More from our theatre visits: our Jersey Boys review and our verdict on The Ballad of Johnny and June.
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