If Claude-Michel Schönberg and Alain Boubil could turn Victor Hugo’s Les Miserábles into a Tony-winning musical, all is fair in love, war, and showtunes. Enter Operation Mincemeat, the London hit based on the 1943 British deception operation to divert Hitler’s troops so Allied Forces could liberate Sicily and gain ground to end World War II. And it’s a musical!
David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts—collectively credited for book, music, and lyrics—deliver a decidedly British approach, which has now jumped the pond to land on Broadway for a limited run. The musical features nods to panto, raps akin to Hamilton (or The Music Man if you want to scroll back the hands of time), and wisps of Six’s pop-centric aesthetic. Slapstick bits and a cast of five gender-swapping chameleons exhibit physical and vocal prowess rooted in Wiki-friendly facts for those dull on WW II history.
homeless man by the name of Glyndwr Michael, finds its heart in a touching ballad sung by Hester Leggatt (Jak Malone), a war office secretary charged with inventing a fictitious backstory for the corpse, now named Captain (Acting Major) William Martin. Such moments are precious amid the antics, which become a bit formulaic as the production bolts through two acts when it could run more tightly as an intermissionless 90 minutes.
Recognizable nuggets emerge, including the appearance of Lieutenant Commander Ian Fleming (Zoë Roberts), the creator of the James Bond spy book series, which adds a fun pop culture sensibility to the time-jumping style. Such idiosyncrasies befit Operation Mincemeat, whose title befits an endearing British sweetness rather than the carnage American audiences might assume.
1MC Takeaway
If you’re intrigued by the subject matter but beyond Broadway’s borders, author Ben Macintyre’s historical account is considered a page-turner, while the 2021 film starring Colin Firth offers a more heavy-handed account.
Operation Mincemeat plays on Broadway at the Golden Theatre. Tickets are currently on sale through February 15, 2026.
