It has been seven years since theatre company SpitLip first performed their comedy-musical Operation Mincemeat in the 80-seater New Diorama Theatre in London. Since then the now Olivier Award winning show has visited the Edinburgh Festival, stormed the West End and even opened on Broadway. Now, musical theatre’s greatest success story in recent years is touring the UK and the Theatre Royal Brighton has been granted the absolute treat of a visit from MI5’s finest!
This calamity-led caper unpacks its source material deftly, skilfully deciphering the strands of a convoluted plot and delivering it in an easy-to-follow (and immensely enjoyable!) fashion. In the midst of WWII, the British government needs a diversionary tactic to somehow convince the Axis powers to move their troops out of Sicily in order that the Allies can then invade the unguarded island. The government tasks MI5 in concocting a plan that is ambitious, ingenious and, above all, watertight. The result is… Operation Mincemeat.
Grounded in history, yet immersed in farce, this comedy-musical roars into life from the first number. The genre-hopping catalogue of songs defy categorisation and ensure there is something for everyone over the course of the two acts – from Nazi-led pop anthems to heartstring-pulling solos. The trippingly rhapsodic lyrics demand virtuosic performances from the actors and we are treated to nothing less than a masterclass in musical storytelling.
The five-person cast – Christian Andrews, Charlotte Hannah-Williams, Jamie-Rose Monk, Holly Sumpton & Morgan Phillips – is an ensemble in the truest sense of the word. Each, in their own right, is a standout performer of immeasurable talent but together they are transcendent. Not a beat is missed, each gag is set up and timed to perfection. The choral numbers are powerful, the solos punchy. The characters portrayed – real historical figures – are large but never glib and the songs pull the audience through the gripping narrative. Indeed, it is the underscore to which the show turns to in order to deliver its emotional heft. Amidst the frenetic laugh-a-minute farce that sees this motley crew somehow fall through one of the most incredible acts of subterfuge ever performed it is songs such as Dear Bill and Sail On, Boys that anchor the show, reminding us that beneath the hilarity and hijinks there is a real human cost, often anonymous and unacknowledged.
Understandably, as it currently holds the title of best-reviewed show in West End history (with 88 five-star reviews), Operation Mincemeat arrives at the Theatre Royal Brighton with quite the reputation to live up to. But rather than fall foul to its own success, this musical, like the daring wartime operation it depicts, is an absolute triumph! A gorgeous send-up; a history lesson and a hilarious homage to those who built the unbelievable and deceived the undeceivable. Do not miss this show!
Theatre Royal Brighton | Tuesday 26th May 2026
For tickets and further information click here
Photo by Matt Crockett
