Operation Mincemeat welcomes new cast members

This weekend saw four of the original Operation Mincemeat West End cast members hang up their hats (for the time being) – with new faces now assembled for the show.

Written and composed by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts of SpitLip, the musical comedy is based on a true story of the twisted secret mission that helped win World War II. It had developmental runs at the New Diorama Theatre in 2019 and Southwark Playhouse in 2020, 2021 and 2022, with an extended Riverside Studios run last summer.

Cumming, Olivier Award winner Jak Malone, Roberts and Hodgson all bid farewell to the show on Saturday night.

From tonight, Claire-Marie Hall will continue as Jean Leslie and others alongside Geri Allen and Holly Sumpton. Christian Andrews will move into the role of Hester Leggatt and others, with Seán Carey now as Charles Cholmondeley and others.

Joining the team will be Emily Barber (Cost of Living) as Ewen Montagu and others, alongside Chloë Hart (Six) as Johnny Bevan and others, Jonty Peach (SuperYou) and George Jennings (Nell Gwynn). 

Operation Mincemeat received four nominations for the 24th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical – which it subsequently won. It picked up the same award at the Oliviers last month.

The production is helmed by director Robert Hastie (Standing at the Sky’s Edge), who provided directorial support for the Riverside Studios run, and choreographed by Jenny Arnold (Jerry Springer: The Opera).

The creative team also includes Ben Stones (Sylvia) as set and costume designer, Mark Henderson (Girl from the North Country) as lighting designer, Mike Walker (Jerry Springer: The Opera) as sound designer, Steve Sidwell (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) as orchestrator and vocal arranger, and Georgie Staight as associate director. Casting is by Pearson Casting.

Commissioned by New Diorama Theatre, co-commissioned by The Lowry, and also supported by the Rhine, the musical is presented in the West End by Avalon (in association with SpitLip), who have supported the show since the Southwark Playhouse runs.

The show recently plotted its course to New York by asking – is Operation Mincemeat too British for Broadway? You can have your say here.