Operation Mincemeat wins Best New Musical at the WhatsOnStage Awards

Operation Mincemeat has picked up the award for Best New Musical at the 24th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards.

Topping a stacked category featuring the likes of The Little Big Things, Disney’s Newsies, Next to Normal, The Time Traveller’s Wife and Mrs Doubtfire, the show’s creators picked up their prize at The London Palladium, where the company also performed for the full-capacity crowd.

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.

The West End cast currently includes Cumming, Claire-Marie Hall, Hodgson, Jak Malone, Roberts, Seán Carey, Geri Allan, Christian Andrews, and Holly Sumpton.

In total, it has received four nominations for the 24th Annual WhatsOnStage Awards, with Hodgson and Malone both recognised. This followed a glowing five-star review last year, with the musical being hailed as “a shining example of homegrown talent”.

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.

The musical is presented in the West End by Avalon (in association with SpitLip), who have supported the show since the Southwark Playhouse runs. Commissioned by New Diorama Theatre, co-commissioned by The Lowry, and also supported by the Rhine, Operation Mincemeat is now running until 22 September 2024. Tickets are on sale below.