OPERATION MINCEMEAT Storms Broadway | On The Scene Report

Last Saturday, on a very cold and wet February evening, you could see a parade of varying shades of yellow shuffling into the Golden Theatre. That could only mean one thing on 45th street — Operation Mincemeat has finally hit the shores of America. On February 15, the new British musical played its first performance here on Broadway and Theatrely was on the scene to capture the night. 

If you aren’t too familiar with the little known World War II British deception operation, you are in luck thanks to SpitLip, a musical theatre troupe from the United Kingdom who has penned what just might be one of the funniest musicals to hit Broadway in years. When you look at the makeup of the current Broadway season we have massive IP from Betty Boop to Buena Vista Social Club hitting our stages, but a silly ragtag group of five British performers dancing and singing about the Second World War might just give them all a run for their money. 

All five performers: David Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall, Natasha Hodgson, Jak Malone, and Zoë Roberts are making their Broadway debuts with Mincemeat and as audience members you can tell there is a special chemistry among them all. The show debuted in 2019 and has practically been playing ever since jumping from house to house Off-West End and finally debuting on the West End in 2023 where it has since been extended… 12 times. The musical was nominated for seven Olivier Awards and took home the crown for both Best New Musical as well as Best Actor in a Supporting Role, for Malone. 

Now Broadway was where they set their sights to next. The biggest question being: how would New York respond to this darling of a musical. From the cheers of their first performance, I would say Broadway is welcoming them with pretty open arms. 

As I found my seat in the Golden Theatre and waited for the illuminated yellow curtain to rise, I found myself chatting with those around me. Behind me, Sarah had seen the musical 37 times and stated that she simply couldn’t miss their first performance on Broadway. And Steven who works in hospitality in Times Square came to see the show simply based off the buzz he saw online; he had purchased tickets the day they went on sale to see what it was all about. 

In our current climate of theatre, it is always ideal to have a fan base before you open for a commercial run in Midtown, and the Mincefluencers, as they are called, came out to represent. Apparently hundreds of fans flew over from London to be there to celebrate the show making its way to New York. Following the evening’s performance, the fans serenaded the cast with a song from the show as they came out to sign their first Playbills and greet their audience. 

Operation Mincemeat seems to be the perfect mixture of British farce mixed with contemporary musical theatre. The team has cracked the code for what modern audiences want for a night out on the town and we will certainly be watching closely how audiences react to this gem of a show. They officially open March 20 and just this week the show was extended through July 13. For now, you can catch it eight times a week at the Golden, and if I were you I would secure your seats now before you aren’t able to very soon.