OPERATION MINCEMEAT: A NEW MUSICAL Extends in the West End

Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical has extended its West End run for the eighth time through 16th November 2024. Operation Mincemeatfollows thirty-three hugely successful years of The Woman In Black at the Fortune Theatre.

Extension tickets will be available on general sale on Friday 16th February at 10am from the Official Box Office.

After the success of the first three ballots, the fourth Monday night ballot returns by popular demand. Every week Monday night shows are sold-out. Ticket prices are frozen at £39.50 for the new booking period from Monday 23rd September – Saturday 16th November 2024. To ensure fair access for fans tickets will be available through the ballot here. The first draw will take place on Thursday 15th February.

The fortnightly £25 ticket lottery continues here (the next draw is today at 2pm). Access to exclusive perks is available via the Official Operation Mincemeat mailing list here.

Based on the extraordinary true story during World War II, Operation Mincemeat is largely attributed to Ewen Montagu and Charles Cholmondeley. However, until recently, little was known about one of the less-regarded female protagonists – MI5 secretary Hester Leggatt. Following dedicated fans of Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical successfully uncovering the missing pieces of her life, 1000 people attended a plaque unveiling in her honour at the Fortune Theatre in December 2023, six months after the show’s West End premiere.

To celebrate this special moment for the production, Sony Music is set to release a limited-edition 7" ‘Dear Bill’ vinyl featuring Jak Malone, who portrays Hester Leggatt on-stage, to coincide with International Women's Day  - 8th  March. The vinyl can be pre-ordered here.

Now starting to gain international acclaim including titles from the USA -“My far-and-away favorite production” (The New Yorker), Israel - “A story about the impossible that was possible…The guys who put on a show with zero budget conquered the most coveted goal of all. The mouse that roared… Fly to London now, right now” (Shlomut by Globes) and Germany -“stands out from the plethora of West End productions…The current must-see show” (Musicalzentrale), the extraordinary debut musical is written and composed by SpitLip - David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts.

After five sold-out development runs at the New Diorama Theatre in 2019 and Southwark Playhouse in 2020, 2021 & 2022, plus an extended Riverside Studios run last summer, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical is back.

The year is 1943 and we’re losing the war. Luckily, we’re about to gamble all our futures on a stolen corpse. 

Singin’ in the Rain meets Strangers on a Train, Noel Coward meets Noel Fielding, Operation Mincemeat is the fast-paced, hilarious and unbelievable true story of the twisted secret mission that won us World War II. The question is, how did a well-dressed corpse wrong-foot Hitler? 

The production is directed by 2023 Olivier Award nominated  Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, National Theatre - 2023 Best New Musical Olivier Award winner), following providing directorial support for the Riverside Studios run, while Olivier Award nominated Jenny Arnold (Jerry Springer: The Opera, National Theatre) continues as Choreographer. Also from Standing at the Sky's Edge at the National Theatre on the creative team are: 2023 Olivier Award nominated  Ben Stones (Sylvia, The Old Vic) as Set and Costume Designer, Tony Award, six-time Olivier Award and Bafta Award winning Mark Henderson (Girl From the North Country, Broadway & Noël Coward Theatre) as Lighting Designer and Olivier Award winning Mike Walker (Jerry Springer: The Opera, National Theatre) as Sound Designer. Grammy Award winning and Tony, Emmy, Olivier award nominated Steve Sidwell (Beautiful: The Musical, Broadway & Aldwych Theatre) is Orchestrator and Vocal Arranger, while 2023 Stage Debut Award ‘Best creative West End debut’ nominated Joe Bunker is Musical Director. Georgie Staight joins as Associate Director and Paul Isaiah Isles as Associate Choreographer. Casting is by Pearson Casting.

Operation Mincemeat won The Stage Debut award for Best Composer/Lyricist, the Off-West End award for Best Musical Production and Best Company Ensemble, and most recently the West End Wilma award for Best West End Show, Rising Star and Best Understudy. Operation Mincemeat is nominated for four 2024 WhatsOnStage Awards.

The 2023 Off-West End Best Musical Production Award winning returning cast (Southwark Playhouse/ Riverside Studios), David Cumming,Claire-Marie Hall, Natasha Hodgson, Jak Malone and Zoë Roberts, are joined by: Seán Carey (returning from Riverside Studios), Geri Allan,Christian Andrews and Holly Sumpton.

Operation Mincemeat is presented in the West End by Avalon (in association with SpitLip), who have supported since the Southwark Playhouse runs. The show was commissioned by New Diorama Theatre, co-commissioned by The Lowry, and also supported by the Rhinebeck Writers Retreat.