Michael Cox reviews the ‘tremendous’ international hit.
Operation Mincemeat shouldn’t work. A musical comedy about an infamous act of deception by MI5 to help the Allies in WWII performed by a cast of five who slide between contrasting roles with split-second precision sounds more like a Monty Python skit than a full-length West End/Broadway musical.
And yet that is exactly what the comedic team SpitLip have given us—and it is tremendous.
Originally performed in an 80-seat studio in 2019, creators David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoe Roberts have built a script that impresses in balancing humour and wit with moments of pathos: it’s highly intelligent with clever lines, wonderfully catchy music and lyrics rich in humour and warmth.
If there is a word to describe director Robert Hastie’s production, it would be: relentless. Scenes play out at a quick pace, and the cast perform at such a speed that at times it’s easy to forget there are only five players. It is frequently hilarious and yet also has excellent emotional beats. The song ‘Dear Bill’ might be one of the most poignant moments of modern theatre, and while the laughs come fast, there are also moments where the emotional and political stakes are clear—this is life and death, and our small team of agents have been tasked with saving thousands of lives.
When leaving the theatre, I overheard a lot of audience members praise the actors for their comedic performances and energy. And this is true. But if the show didn’t have as much heart as it does, the show wouldn’t linger in the mind.
In an age where praise comes easy and many hyped events disappoint, how terrific it is to see something surpass its reputation. It’s easily one of the best UK theatrical productions of recent years.
Operation Mincemeat performs at Theatre Royal Glasgow until 14 November 2026. It continues to tour the UK in 2027, including stops in Eden Court Inverness (22-26 June), King’s Theatre Edinburgh (29 June-03 July) and Theatre Royal Glasgow (July 6-10). For further details, go to the production’s website.
Photo by Matt Crockett.
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