Operation Mincemeat: A Fun, Fast-Paced Musical That Brings a Remarkable Wartime Story to Cardiff
Operation Mincemeat, New Theatre Cardiff
There is something wonderfully British about turning one of the most extraordinary deception operations of the Second World War into a musical. Operation Mincemeat does exactly that, taking a remarkable true story and transforming it into a funny, energetic and surprisingly heartfelt night at the theatre.
Currently playing at New Theatre Cardiff, Operation Mincemeat tells the story of the secret MI5 operation designed to fool Nazi Germany about where the Allies would invade Europe. At the centre of the story is a rather unlikely group of intelligence agents, alongside a Welsh man who had fallen through the cracks of society and whose identity ultimately became crucial to one of the greatest deceptions of the war.
And yes, there are plenty of jokes, catchy songs and big musical theatre moments along the way.
The production has a real sense of energy from the outset. It is upbeat, patriotic and deliberately playful, finding plenty of comedy in what is, when you stop and think about it, a remarkably dark and complicated period of history. Rather than presenting its characters as distant historical figures, the musical gives them personality, relationships and plenty of humanity.
“Fast, funny and full of theatrical chaos.”
One of its biggest strengths is its pace. The show rarely sits still, moving quickly between comedy, storytelling and musical numbers. There is a particular style to the score that feels almost relentlessly energetic, with songs often delivered at considerable speed. Think the famous patter style songs in musicals like Major-General's Song from The Pirates of Penzance and you get an idea of the sort of challenge the performers are taking on.
It is also where I had my one real issue with the production.
At various points throughout the performance, I found it difficult to hear exactly what was being said or sung. I'm not sure whether this was down to the microphones, the theatre's sound mix or simply the diction and projection during some of the faster numbers, but there were moments when words became difficult to pick out.
Normally, missing the odd lyric isn't a huge problem. Here, however, it matters because so much of the story is contained within the lyrics. With dialogue and songs moving at such speed, being able to hear every word is particularly important. There were moments when I found myself concentrating so hard on trying to catch the lyrics that I became slightly lost in what was happening.
It didn't ruin the experience, but it did mean that I occasionally felt I was working harder than I should have had to in order to follow the story completely.
Thankfully, the sheer enthusiasm of the production carries you through. There is a genuine sense of fun running throughout Operation Mincemeat, and the cast throw themselves into the material with the sort of energy that makes musical theatre such an enjoyable experience.
What I particularly enjoyed is the way the show manages to balance its comedy with the extraordinary reality behind the story. Beneath the laughs, choreography and infectious musical numbers is a fascinating piece of British history involving deception, espionage and a group of people who were willing to take an enormous risk to help change the course of the war.
The Welsh connection also adds an interesting layer to the story, particularly given the central role played by a man who, in life, had been overlooked by society. There is something rather poignant about seeing someone who had effectively been forgotten become such an important part of one of the most audacious intelligence operations of the Second World War.
Operation Mincemeat is ultimately a big, entertaining musical with a fascinating true story at its heart. It is funny, patriotic and packed with energy, while still finding moments of genuine warmth amongst the chaos.
One of the things I found particularly impressive was watching the five cast members constantly switch between roles throughout the show. With characters appearing and disappearing at such speed, the performers have to jump between personalities, accents and characters with barely a moment to catch their breath. It must be an exhausting amount of work to perform night after night, but there is also something incredibly fun about watching them do it. The quick changes become part of the show's charm, adding to its frantic energy and keeping you wondering who they will become next.
Operation Mincemeat is ultimately a fun, energetic musical with a fascinating true story at its heart. Despite my issues with hearing every word at times, I thoroughly enjoyed the production and left the New Theatre Cardiff having been thoroughly entertained. If you're looking for a musical that combines British history, comedy, catchy songs and plenty of theatrical chaos, this is certainly one to add to your Cardiff theatre calendar.
Operation Mincemeat is playing at New Theatre Cardiff 16-19th of September. Get your tickets here.
