“The Brits have made the year’s funniest musical…a hit in London’s West End and may head across the Atlantic…rewriting the playbook for originality.…Against the odds, the “Operation Mincemeat” gang has found its way to the big time.”
Peter Marks, The Washington Post
“irrepressible wartime musical is a West End triumph”
Emma John, The Guardian
“Hilarious tale makes Mincemeat out of its rivals…Before curtain I talked to a fan seeing this for the seventh time. I wondered why anyone would see the same show seven times. Now I know”
Neil Armstrong, The Mail On Sunday
“LAUGHING so hard I could barely breathe is not what I expected for a musical about a World War II top-secret plan.…the perfect invasion of the West End. Long may they occupy it.”
Thea Jacobs, The Sun
“the feel-good West End musical of the summer…The reviews for the show have been ecstatic… the overwhelming impression is of hopefulness, expansiveness, possibility and joy.”
Alexis Soloski, The New York Times
65 ★★★★★ reviews and counting
From aspiring West End performers to those who want to gain more confidence in performing, Operation Mincemeat have partnered with ATG’s West End Creative Learning department to offer pre-show workshops to schools and community organisations who are booked to see the West End phenomenon. These workshops will help students unpick the show ahead of their visit whilst putting their performance skills front and centre.
Led by West End practitioners, join those who were Born To Lead in this practical pre-show workshop, where participants will use key moments from the show to unlock students potential in this perfect pre-show workshop.
After a professional warm up, students will work towards honing in their skills, building characters, presence and performance techniques. From slapstick routines to devising techniques, character work to comedy, this workshop is designed to ignite participant’s imaginations using Operation Mincemeat. These workshops are offered to groups before their visit either at the Fortune Theatre where the show currently runs, or as part of a wider engagement programme in partnership with Imperial War Museums where students can explore World War 2 and their upcoming their Spies, Lies and Deception exhibition alongside their workshop.
A range of further Creative Learning opportunities to be announced on Operation Mincemeat’s official channels.
For more information or to book your group workshop, fill out our registration of interest here operationmincemeat.com/education, or contact LashayGreen@theambassadors.com.
From the writers and composers of Operation Mincemeat, SpitLip: “We are delighted to be able to offer workshops as part of a wider Operation Mincemeat experience. We hope they help educate and inspire students and wider communities to go on to create their own innovative work that may one day become the future hits of our stages”
From ATG Creative Learning Producer, Conor Hunt: “Operation Mincemeat really celebrates the ingenuity and talent that exists with artists developing their own work, and the show’s success is testament to that. Using workshops and the wider creative learning opportunities we hope that we can support the next generation of theatre makers and goers to see themselves on West End stages in the future!”
Presented by Avalon in partnership with ATG Creative Learning and Imperial War Museums.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Operation Mincemeat contacts:
Celia Dugua (for Avalon and Operation Mincemeat) CDugua@avalonuk.com
Conor Hunt (for Education and ATG Creative Learning) conorhunt@theambassadors.com
For more information or to book your group workshop, fill out our registration of interest here operationmincemeat.com/education, or contact LashayGreen@theambassadors.com
For general enquiries about wider Operation Mincemeat workshops or creative learning activity please email westendclcp@theambassadors.com
For additional information and tickets, please visit www.operationmincemeat.com
NOTES TO EDITORS:
About Operation Mincemeat
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical – 65 five-star reviews and counting – “a hilarious new musical that rivals The Book of Mormon for laughs” (Vogue), has extended its West End run for the sixth time through 15th June 2024. Operation Mincemeat follows thirty-three hugely successful years of The Woman In Black at the Fortune Theatre.
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 and the Off-West End award for Best Musical Production and Best Company Ensemble. Following the first New Diorama Theatre run, Operation Mincemeat was listed in The Observer’s Top 10 shows of the year and most recently was listed in The Independent’s Top 15 shows of the year. The show is currently featured in the V&A’s Re:Imagining Musicals display, exploring how musicals have continuously reimagined, reinvented and reinterpreted themselves over time.
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 Allen, 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.
