One of Broadway’s newest sensations casts a spotlight on the daring tale of World War II British military scheme dubbed “Operation Mincemeat.” The idea for this Olivier-winning musical came from the minds of the U.K. comedy group SplitLip, which consists of Natasha Hodgson, David Cumming, Zoë Roberts and Felix Hagan. After running for six years on various stages, the musical eventually leaped to the West End and then to Broadway’s John Golden Theatre, bringing its engaging and hilarious take on such a brilliant operation to life.
Operation Mincemeat was a puzzling plan made by the U.K.’s Military Intelligence, Section 5 (MI5), born from the brains of intelligence officers Charles Cholmondeley (Cumming) and Ewen Montagu (Hodgson) with the assistance of Colonel Johnny Bevan (Roberts) and the secretary assistants Jean Leslie (Claire-Marie Hall) and Hester Leggatt (Jak Malone). A plan so intricate that it entails a random corpse with a made-up identity, a fake plane crash in the ocean, a submarine near Spain and a fabricated military correspondence, all with the purpose of steering German attention away from an Allied Powers’ invasion of Sicily. A plan so bizarre, with too many holes and potential for mishap it surely could not work … but it did.
Despite there only being five actors who mainly played the figures mentioned above, the musical has dozens of characters, from sailors and doctors to Nazis and bar patrons. As the actors switched roles, they flipped hats on and off, changed accents left and right and portrayed both men and women no matter, their own gender. Even with the constant role switches, at no point was I confused about who was who or questioned when a new character came on stage. I thought the choice to have a smaller cast play many characters added to the show’s comedic and chaotic atmosphere.
Speaking of comedy, one may think creating a comedic musical surrounding the heavy topic of war to be a very bold and inappropriate choice. I even caught myself wondering in the midst of my laughter if I should be doing such a thing. The actors would actually break the fourth wall in a horrified manner to stunningly ask us, “Really?” at our outbursts of laughter from things like a Nazis hip-hop break-dancing number. However, I am all for comedy being a medium in which people choose or happen to learn about important historical events. Despite going into this musical blind, I learned so much about a scheme that helped the Allied Powers gain ground in what is considered the largest war in history.
There is also a lot of heart and emotional depth displayed on stage that was dealt with in a very respectful manner. My laughter was equally matched with a heavy heart for the people and situations at hand. The musical depicted the struggle women had in being taken seriously when they were finally able to enter the workforce after men went to war. There were outbursts about treating soldiers’ lives seriously instead of just pieces on a chessboard. Hester’s ballad, “Dear Bill,” in which Malone drew a well-deserved ovation, made me shed tears on the harsh reality of war and the heartache loved ones feel being separated from their sons, brothers and husbands in the trenches.
The most controversial aspect of the story, however, came from a real aspect of Operation Mincemeat. The plan circulated around obtaining a body to pose as a member of the armed forces. It was all fun and well “Making a Man” and naming him Major William Martin, but snatching a body from the streets, deeming him a nobody that won’t be missed and using him as a prop poses a huge moral dilemma. The persona Major Martin was created in the shadow of “the man who never was,” Glyndwr Michael, who died on the street from rat poison. He did not get proper recognition until 50 years after the operation.
The musical gave this subject matter proper respect and treated Michael with the human dignity he deserved. There was a glitzy, classic Broadway musical finale, but “Operation Mincemeat” decided not to stop there. The five actors broke the fourth wall one last time to provide further facts and pay proper homage to Michael. The stage gradually darkened until a single spotlight illuminated a service cap to remind us that without Michael’s unwilling sacrifice, we would not have this musical, nor the success of Operation Mincemeat or even the course of World War II as we know it.
“Operation Mincemeat” is good for a laugh, a historical lesson and a tear-jerker all wrapped up in one show. Thanks to Montagu himself, we have the book “The Man Who Never Was” which was turned into a movie that turned into this outstanding musical performance. I recommend anyone looking for a classic yet unique New York City experience to turn their sights toward “Operation Mincemeat” which has been officially running since March 20.
