“Operation Mincemeat”: How a Fringe Musical About a Real British WWII Spy Plot Became Broadway's Unlikeliest Hit

Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical has go 1 of Broadway's hottest tickets since performances began astatine nan John Golden Theatre successful New York City backmost successful February.

The caller musical, directed by Robert Hastie, has been captivating audiences pinch its inventive storytelling and humor, and is presently up for 4 2025 Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score.

That's not overmuch of a astonishment considering really successful Operation Mincemeat has been successful nan U.K, wherever nan show was birthed and continues to tally today. But it is shocking erstwhile 1 takes into relationship nan wildly improbable and hilarious existent communicative upon which nan show is based.

Below, PEOPLE answers each mobility astir nan musical:

So.. what precisely is Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical all about?
Well, nan theatrical portion dramatizes nan real-life events of a highly successful British deception cognition during World War II, helmed by intelligence officers Ewen Montagu and Charles Cholmondeley and aimed astatine misleading Nazi Germany astir nan Allied penetration of Southern Europe. The operation, which took spot successful 1943, played a cardinal domiciled successful nan Axis conclusion by confusing nan force astir nan timing/location of subject operations. In diverting their attraction and resources, nan Allies were capable to summation a important advantage that yet helped lead to their victory. The cognition is credited pinch redeeming thousands of Allied lives

That's a unsocial ground for a musical! How did Operation Mincemeat really work?
The existent scheme progressive creating a mendacious belief that nan Allies were going to invade Greece, alternatively than nan existent target, which was Sicily. And nan British subject did that by obtaining nan assemblage of a dormant man, dressing nan cadaver up arsenic a high-ranking British officer, planting clone documents connected him — including a missive detailing a clone scheme for nan British penetration of Greece and Sardinia — and past releasing nan assemblage into nan oversea disconnected nan seashore of Spain to beryllium discovered by authorities.

Spain?
Yup! The reasoning was that Spanish authorities were sympathetic to nan Nazis, and would apt walk connected nan documents to German intelligence.

Wow. Was nan assemblage dressed arsenic a existent British officer?
No, The dormant man, whose existent sanction was Glyndwr Michael, was fixed a mendacious identity. They disguised him arsenic "Major William Martin," a fictional serviceman successful nan Royal Marines.

And they believed he was real?
They judge did! Spanish authorities passed nan accusation connected to nan Germans, who fell for nan deception and diverted resources distant from nan existent penetration tract successful Sicily. When nan Allies did invade Sicily successful July 1943, nan Germans were caught disconnected defender and incapable to adequately take sides nan island.

This is wild! Is this thing Brits each cognize astir that ne'er really made its measurement to America?
Actually, no. Since nan ngo was apical secret, it took decades for nan nationalist to study each nan details. Montagu first wrote astir it successful his 1953 book, The Man Who Never Was — but moreover then, galore specifications were still omitted from his pages because they were confidential. In fact, nan afloat communicative (including nan personality of nan man utilized successful nan mission) remained nether wraps until 1996, erstwhile a bid of documents were declassified.

Wait, now that I'm reasoning astir it, this communicative does sound familiar. Wasn't this made into a movie before?
Yes! Montagu's book was adapted into nan 1956 movie of nan aforesaid name, The Man Who Never Was. Directed by Ronald Neame, nan movie starred Clifton Webb and Gloria Grahame. It—

—No, no. Sorry. A much caller movie?
Oh, right. You're reasoning of nan aptly titled Operation Mincemeat! Directed by John Madden, that movie starred Colin Firth, Matthew Macfadyen, Kelly Macdonald, Penelope Wilton, Johnny Flynn and Jason Isaacs (among others).

The precocious Paul Ritter was besides successful nan cast. The movie marked his last movie appearance, and was dedicated to his memory.

When did that movie travel out?
Operation Mincemeat had its world premiere astatine nan 2021 British Film Festival successful Australia and was released successful cinemas overseas successful April 2022. Netflix bought nan authorities for merchandise successful North and Latin America. It dropped connected nan streaming level successful May 2022.

So is nan philharmonic based connected nan movie?
One mightiness think, seeing arsenic they emotion making shape musicals retired of movies. But no, nan philharmonic of Operation Mincemeat does not count nan movie — aliases British historiographer Ben Macintyre's 2010 book, which nan movie's screenwriter Michelle Ashford adapted for nan surface — among its root material. The philharmonic was developed independently of nan movie and book, and moreover predates nan film’s release.

Ben Macintyre's book?
Operation Mincemeat: The True Spy Story that Changed nan Course of World War II. The book, released by Bloomsbury Publishing, is considered nan mission's definitive account. It landed connected nan shortlist for nan prestigious 2010 Galaxy British Book Awards and 2011 Duke of Westminster's Medal for Military Literature.

The BBC besides adapted nan British author's book into a documentary, which dropped that aforesaid year.

Okay — backmost to nan musical. Who's thought was it to put this communicative to music?
That would beryllium nan British drama troupe, SpitLip. Formed successful 2017 arsenic a spinoff of different institution called Kill nan Beast, nan fringe foursome — made up of David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts — began processing nan philharmonic erstwhile they were commissioned by New Diorama's then-artistic head David Byrne to create a caller portion for nan Off-West End theater.

How did SpitLip study astir Operation Mincemeat?
As Hodgson told Town & Country, her relative recommended she perceive to an section of Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant's Stuff You Should Know podcast that was each astir nan operation. "It really was a gift of a communicative successful position of everything that was real, corresponding truthful beautifully pinch what we hoped would beryllium nan building of a really entertaining story," she told nan outlet.

And they each worked connected nan score?
Yup! Cumming, Hagan, Hodgson and Roberts are each credited arsenic penning Operation Mincemeat's euphony and lyrics. They besides wrote nan musical's book together.

When did Operation Mincemeat debut?
The philharmonic had its first-ever scratch capacity successful 2017 astatine The Lowry, nan venue successful Manchester that co-commissioned nan accumulation and supported its early development. It past premiered astatine nan 77-seat New Diorama Theatre successful 2019.

The show's fame led to sold-out runs astatine venues for illustration Southwark Playhouse and Riverside Studios. Its occurrence culminated successful a West End debut astatine nan Fortune Theatre connected May 9, 2023, wherever it's still playing coming to standing-room-only crowds and is presently "the Best Reviewed Show successful West End History."

Sounds for illustration a triumph!
It was. Operation Mincemeat received galore accolades, including six 2024 Olivier Award nominations, winning Best New Musical and Best Actor successful a Supporting Role successful a Musical for Jak Malone (who joined nan show during its original run). It besides secured nan Best New Musical grant astatine nan WhatsOnStage Awards and nan Off-West End Awards. 

Broadway must person been a given, then?
Surprisingly, no. There were changeless concerns astir nan show's distinctly British humor, truthful overmuch truthful that nan show's creators struggled to get American producers to bargain in. "We had Broadway producers in, and 1 by 1 they each went quiet," Roberts told Town & Country.

What changed things?
Audiences, actually. The show built a devoted fanbase known arsenic nan "Mincefluencers" who helped bolstered nan show's popularity. Soon enough, nan gospel of Operation Mincemeat carried crossed nan pond, pinch much and much Americans walking to nan West End to spot it. And erstwhile they were invested, Broadway producers followed. "The tide started to move only because nan assemblage started changing nan speech for us," said Roberts.

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Did nan full original London formed travel to Broadway?
Yup! Cumming, Hodgson, Malone and Roberts — arsenic good arsenic Claire-Marie Hall, different O.G. prima — each made nan move from nan West End to nan Great White Way. The show marks their debut connected nan boards.

Each play aggregate characters, a hallmark of its scrappy and inventive appeal. Hodgson and Cumming lead nan show arsenic Montagu and Cholmondeley, respectively.

Among its Tony nominations were 1 for Malone for his featured capacity arsenic MI5 caput Hester Leggatt. "I'm emotion overwhelmed, overjoyed and complete par," he told PEOPLE astatine nan 2025 'Meet nan Nominees' arena connected May 8, 2025. "I can't judge it. This is specified a immense thing. Growing up successful Merseyside, England arsenic a small stagey monster, I didn't expect that thing for illustration this could happen. And now that it is, it's truthful overmuch much awesome than I ever could person told my younger aforesaid than it is. It's amazing."

So really does 1 get tickets?
Tickets for Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical are presently connected waste done Feb. 15, 2026. They cam beryllium purchased online astatine Telecharge.com aliases by calling 212-239-6200. For much information, visit operationbroadway.com.

What if 1 can't make it to Broadway?
Great news: Operation Mincemeat will motorboat a globe-spanning world circuit opening Feb. 16, 2026! The circuit will footwear disconnected (fittingly) at The Lowry and proceed crossed nan U.K. for 40 weeks. Tour dates for different territories — including nan United States, Australia, Canada, China, Mexico and New Zealand — will beryllium announced astatine a early time.

"Broadway opened nan literal world to us, and we couldn't beryllium much grateful for each unpredictable twist of this astonishing journey," SpitLip said successful a connection erstwhile nan circuit was announced connected May 13, 2025. "Most of all, we wish to convey nan audiences who proceed to transportation this show pinch emotion and enthusiasm."

"Operation Mincemeat reminds america that successful uncertain times, nan bonds betwixt friends are much important than ever — and that connection feels particularly applicable arsenic we see each nan awesome nations successful which our show will now person nan opportunity to play," they added. "This show continues to beryllium nan escapade of a lifetime, and we're wildly excited astir what's to come."

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And if 1 doesn't want to hold until then?
The show's charismatic formed signaling is available, capturing nan musical's standout numbers and performances. There's moreover a typical unrecorded signaling of "Dear Bill," the powerful ballad Malone sings, recorded unrecorded from London’s Fortune Theatre and disposable connected streaming platforms.

Lastly, what astir those Tonys? When are those handed out?
The 2025 Tony Awards will aerial unrecorded from N.Y.C.'s Radio City Music Hall Sunday, June 8 connected CBS.