Everything to know about ‘Operation Mincemeat’ on Broadway

This musical spy thriller arrives in New York after becoming an unexpected smash hit in London, where it received critical acclaim and won three Best Musical awards.

Joe DziemianowiczFebruary 13, 2025, 05:00

High jinks and high stakes collide happily in Operation Mincemeat, a musical based on an actual British World War II secret mission. To mislead the Nazis about the Allies’ invasion plans, British intelligence officers stage a daring deception using forged documents and a dead body passed off as a British captain.

Beginning February 15 at the Golden Theatre, the British import by the comedy troupe SpitLip was hailed by London Theatre as “ingenious, witty, and surprisingly moving.” It arrives in New York following a multi-award-winning run across the pond.

The full West End cast reprises their roles, as do director Robert Hastie and choreographer Jenny Arnold. For a rollicking show that turns wartime intrigue on its head — and into laughter — see Operation Mincemeat, and learn more about it below.

Check back for information on Operation Mincemeat tickets on New York Theatre Guide.

What is Operation Mincemeat about?

Operation Mincemeat is a musical based on, and named after, covert events that really happened. With creative liberties, the story details a clever ruse to trick the Nazis about a tide-turning Allied invasion during World War II. By planting fake documents on a corpse, which the Allies dressed as a British general, they threw the Nazis off their trail.

Where is Operation Mincemeat playing?

Operation Mincemeat plays at the Golden Theatre, located at 252 West 45th St. between Broadway and Eighth Avenue.

The venue opened on February 24, 1927, as the Theatre Masque. It was purchased in 1937 by impresario John Golden, who renamed the theatre after himself. In the late 1940s and '50s it was used as a cinema until the Shubert Organization purchased and restored it to traditional theatre usage.

Recent productions at the theatre include Stereophonic, The Shark Is Broken, and Prima Facie.

How long is Operation Mincemeat?

Operation Mincemeat runs 2 hours and 35 minutes, including an intermission. The typical length of a Broadway musical is between 90 minutes and 3 hours and may include a 15-minute intermission.

The above running time is based on the London run of Operation Mincemeat and is subject to change slightly for the Broadway production.

What days is Operation Mincemeat playing?

Operation Mincemeat plays Tuesday through Sunday, with two performances on Wednesdays and Saturdays and no performances on Mondays. This schedule is subject to one-off changes; please visit the Operation Mincemeat page to learn more.

When did Operation Mincemeat premiere?

Operation Mincemeat played its first Broadway performance on February 15, 2025. Previously, the show made its world premiere in London in 2019 and transferred to the city's famed West End in 2023 after multiple smaller runs.

Who wrote Operation Mincemeat?

The Operation Mincemeat musical is created by the comedy troupe SpiitLip, composed of David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson, and Zoë Roberts. The four co-authors of the show’s book, music, and lyrics all make their Broadway debuts.

Cumming, Hodgson, and Roberts also debut as Broadway performers in the show.

Operation Mincemeat characters

Set in 1943, Operation Mincemeat recalls a secret real-life World War II Allied mission using a counterfeit corpse. Yes, that happened. Here’s a list of the key characters.

Charles Cholmondeley: A resourceful, nerdy scientist who comes into his own during the covert mission.
Jean Leslie: A clerk-turned-key player in the deceptive plan.
Ewen Montagu: A British naval intelligence officer who believes he’s a born leader.
Hester Leggett: A secretary who collaborates in the mission.
Johnny Bevan: An MI5 matron.

Who is in the cast of Operation Mincemeat on Broadway?

The entire Operation Mincemeat Broadway cast reprises their roles from the show’s West End run. They include David Cumming as Charles Cholmondeley, Claire-Marie Hall as Jean Lesie, Natasha Hodgson as Ewen Montagu, Jak Malone as Hester Leggett, and Zoë Roberts as Johnny Bevan and others.

The five actors make their Broadway debuts in the musical comedy. Malone won a 2024 Olivier Award for his performance, and Cumming, Hodgson, and Roberts were all nominated.

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What songs are in Operation Mincemeat?

Operation Mincemeat is buoyed along on a catchy mix of music that makes the dark history of WWII feel lighthearted and fun. The below song list is from the London production and is subject to change for the Broadway run. This article will be updated accordingly.

Act 1

"Born to Lead"
"God That's Brilliant"
"Dead in the Water"
"Dead in the Water (Reprise)"
"All the Ladies"
"The Pitch"
"Born to Lead (Reprise)"
"Making a Man"
"Love is a Bird"
"Dear Bill"
"Sail on, Boys"
"Just for Tonight"

Act 2

"Das Übermensch"
"Bevan's Update"
"The Ballad of Willie Watkins"
"Spilsbury Reprise"
"I Call Abort"
"Haselden's Got a Good Feeling"
"Useful"
"Act as If"
"Finale"

What awards has Operation Mincemeat won?

Operation Mincemeat premieres on Broadway in April, so it hasn’t received any New York awards yet. The show will be in the running for the 2024-25 season’s upcoming honors, including Tony Awards.

The show already received multiple London awards, including:

Olivier Awards: The West End production earned six 2024 Olivier nominations, winning Best New Musical and Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical for Jak Malone.
WhatsOnStage Awards: The production won the prize for Best New Musical.
The first London run of Operation Mincemeat also won Best Musical at The Offies, and the West End transfer won Best West End Show, among other honors, at the West End Wilma Awards.

Major productions of Operation Mincemeat

In its run-up to Broadway, the Operation Mincemeat musical has been seen in several productions that left audiences laughing in London. Here are the noteworthy stage presentations so far.

2019 world premiere: Operation Mincemeat debuts at the New Diorama Theatre. The show later played at the Southwark Playhouse and Riverside Studios.
2023 West End premiere: The musical debuts on May 9, 2023 at the Fortune Theatre in London.
2025: Broadway premiere: Operation Mincemeat makes its Broadway debut on February 15, 2025, with the entire West End cast reprising their roles. Robert Hastie directs, and Jenny Arnold choreographs as in the West End.

Onscreen adaptations of Operation Mincemeat

The Operation Mincemeat musical hasn’t received a screen adaptation yet, but a version of its story has been told on screen. The real Operation Mincemeat inspired two British films of the same name, but the musical isn’t tied to either. The 1956 movie starred Clifton Webb, Robert Flemyng, and Gloria Grahame. The 2021 film starred Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, and Kelly Macdonald.

Fun facts about Operation Mincemeat

Learn more meaty facts about the musical, from where its name originates to surprises audiences should anticipate.

The body used in the real Operation Mincemeat was actually that of a homeless Welsh man who died from rat poison in 1943.
The mission got its name as a sly acknowledgment of the dead body involved. Talk about esprit de corpse!
The ensemble cast performs multiple roles, often switching characters and changing costumes during scenes to emphasize the wide scope of the operation.
There are moments where familiar historical figures get unexpected and humorous cameos. (No spoilers!)

Get tickets to Operation Mincemeat on Broadway

The Operation Mincemeat musical turns a serious slice of history into a cheeky, song-filled look at how Allied forces made, well, mincemeat out of the enemy.