Operation Mincemeat

 

Sometime last year our theatre chums suggested we all booked for Operation Mincemeat at the Lowry Theatre. I had to admit that I hadn't heard of the musical, although I was aware of the World War Two secret operation of the same name. I was somewhat surprised that this operation, which changed the course of the war, had inspired a musical comedy.

So, when the evening came round this week, we weren't sure what to expect, but we had a wonderful evening, the musical was fabulous and the cast of five was outstanding. I couldn't help but agree with one reviewer who wrote "I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe ....not what I expected for a musical about a World War II top-secret plan." 

The cast was amazing, there were five of them playing many parts, as well as singing and dancing. The show is simply bursting at the seams with the kind of chaos you couldn’t invent, the question is: how did a dead body, a fake love letter, and - of all people - Ian Fleming come together to wrong-foot Hitler?

I hadn't realised that the Lowry had been involved with Operation Mincemeat from the very start, co-commissioning the company Spitlip to make the show and providing support, funding and mentorship through its early development.

It seemed appropriate that the first stop on the UK tour was Salford and that we had tickets for the opening night.  It was fantastic to be the first audience to have the opportunity to see the show outside London and New York!