Operation Mincemeat musical reviews

Reviews have dropped for the West End production of Operation Mincemeat in London – what did the critics make of it?

The new musical has transferred to the Fortune Theatre following previous sell-out runs at the New Diorama Theatre in 2019, Southwark Playhouse in 2020, 2021 & 2022 and Riverside Studios in 2022.

Written and composed by SpitLip – David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoe Roberts – Operation Mincemeat tells the unbelievably true story from World Word II about a well-dressed corpse that wrong-footed Hitler.

The new West End production held its opening night this week but what did the reviews say?

Operation Mincemeat London reviews

WhatsOnstage – ★★★★★
“It’s always a worry coming to something that has been so heavily hyped at a late stage. Well, it more than delivers, and stands a shining example of homegrown talent – among many things it’s just so very, very British.” – Read the full review

The Stage – ★★★★★
“It is that balance of comedy and heart that is this show’s great strength, and with a couple of new songs and a stronger book, it is better than ever. A brilliant spy thriller, a brilliant comedy, and a brilliant musical all rolled into one, it is exhilarating to see it hit the West End.” – Read the full review

TimeOut- ★★★★
“The songs are funny, detailed and entertainingly eclectic – they lean towards the vaudevillian, though there’s a modern, ‘Hamilton’-ish punch to the rhymes. They’re laser-focussed on getting us to laugh: there’s little of the saccharine baggage of the average musical, no romance, no learning life lessons, no big introspective moments.” – Read the full review

The Times – ★★★★
“Sometimes the jokes hit you so quickly that you barely have time to laugh before the next one comes sweeping along. This gloriously inventive musical, based on a celebrated Second World War intelligence operation, is the nearest thing to those hyperactive Tex Avery cartoons that kept cinema audiences entertained during the war years.” – Read the full review

BroadwayWorld – ★★★★★
“Rhythmic pop music, a contemporary musical theatre sound, the odd rap segue, and a tune that would feel at home at Berghain for good measure are the foundation of this life-affirming, riotous history lesson.” – Read the full review

Evening Standard- ★★★★
“Mincemeat the musical has wit, charm, a subversive attitude to gender, a surprising amount of pathos, and a Eurobeat number for a Nazi boyband (yes, really). It’s also packed with deliberate anachronisms, outrageous overacting and sheepishly knowing in-jokes. It’s an embodiment of the eccentric British exceptionalism it both celebrates and mocks” – Read the full review

Operation Mincemeat plays Fortune Theatre, London currently booking through to 15 August 2023.

Book Operation Mincemeat London tickets here »