Operation Mincemeat.
Leeds Grand Theatre.
This week, I was lucky enough to be invited to the Press Night performance of Operation Mincemeat at Leeds Grand Theatre. A huge thank you to Kelly and the team for the invitation!
This was actually my second time seeing Operation Mincemeat, and I was so excited to experience it all over again. Sometimes returning to a show you loved the first time can be risky, but I think I might have enjoyed it even more the second time around.
Based on an extraordinary true story, Operation Mincemeat takes one of Britain’s most unusual wartime missions and turns it into something completely unexpected. Set in 1943, it follows a group of intelligence officers attempting to deceive the Nazis with a plan so ridiculous that it is almost impossible to believe it actually happened.
From the opening moments, the energy is relentless. The show throws together espionage, comedy, history and musical theatre, with a script that is incredibly clever without ever taking itself too seriously. Even knowing what was coming this time, I still found myself laughing throughout.
The cast are a huge part of why it works so well. Holly Sumpton, Seán Carey, Charlotte Hanna-Williams, Jamie-Rose Monk and Christian Andrews lead a company that seems to have endless energy. Characters, accents, costumes and personalities change in seconds, sometimes so completely that you almost forget you are watching the same performers.
There is a real sense of controlled chaos to the whole thing. Holly Sumpton's larger-than-life Ewen Montagu and Seán Carey's Charles Cholmondeley make a brilliant pairing at the centre of the story, while Charlotte Hanna-Williams brings plenty of personality to Jean Leslie. The chemistry across the company is fantastic, and everyone commits completely to even the most ridiculous moments.
Watching for a second time also meant I could appreciate just how much is happening beyond the main action. There are tiny expressions, background moments and jokes everywhere, and I definitely noticed things that passed me by on my first visit. The speed and precision needed to make it all look this effortless is seriously impressive.
The comedy remains one of my favourite things about Operation Mincemeat. We laughed the whole way through, with barely a moment where there wasn't a smile on our faces.
Christian Andrews' performance as Hester Leggatt leads into one of the most memorable moments of the entire show with Dear Bill. After so much fast-paced comedy, the change in atmosphere is incredible. The theatre became completely still, and you could feel how emotional the audience was. It genuinely felt as though people were ready to rise to their feet there and then. It was just as moving the second time around, even when I knew exactly what was coming.
Then Act II throws you straight back into the madness with the German dance. It is satirical, bold, ridiculous and completely unforgettable. It was one of the moments I remembered most vividly from seeing the show previously, and somehow knowing it was coming made me look forward to it even more.
The staging complements all of this perfectly. Rather than relying on huge set pieces or elaborate scene changes, so much is created through movement, timing and the cast themselves. Everything happens at such speed and with such precision that there is always something to watch. The choreography and physical comedy are a huge part of the storytelling, keeping the momentum going from beginning to end.
By the end of the performance, the audience reaction said everything. The standing ovation seemed to happen almost instinctively, and having now seen Operation Mincemeat twice, I completely understand why it has built such a devoted following.
Second time watching, and I would happily go back for a third!
Operation Mincemeat is at Leeds Grand Theatre from the 2nd of September to the 6th of September 2026. You can purchase tickets here.
