Operation Mincemeat

[Oceangirl82]

Has anyone been to see Operation Mincemeat - the Musical?

I thought this was the first Christmas thread of the year.

No, but I think I would like too. It was featured on Radio 4 a few weeks ago, and the whole story is very interesting.

The film The Man Who Never Was is a good film about the subject.

I also thought it was going to be about procurement of mincemeat and the baking of pies.

I was going to offer up a jar or two I have from my stocks because in my world, 'operation mincemeat' is scouring the reduced shelves in late December and early January to find it reduced to 50 p a jar or whatever, when I buy it to save until the next year. Last year was very successful and I think I have about 4 jars lurking in the cupboards.

I’ve seen it twice, & laughed & cried both times. It’s brilliant. Go.

The man who never was is a good film.
It was a risky operation - the person was supposed to be a Royal Marines officer - but it was actually the body of a tramp who died from rat poison. It still surprises me that fooled people, but I guess a lot of effort went into trying to get someone to think it was genuine.

And if it had been rumbled, then who knows what would have happened with the invasion?

A musical! Out of Mincement! FFS!

I enjoyed the film, but does it really translate into a musical?

I haven’t seen the film but honestly, the musical is fantastic. And very hard to describe.

On Mondays all tickets are under £40, even front row stalls!

How on earth does anyone make a musical out of a story in which a decomposing body is shoved in a tube in a submarine, and is then dropped into the sea, stinking to high heaven? I wonder what the titles of the songs are?

Exactly what I was thinking!

As I said it’s pretty difficult to describe - it’s all set in the government office where they come up with the idea & get it going. It would never have occurred to me to go if a friend hadn’t raved about it & dragged me along.

It is AMAZING!! Very clever, fast paced and funny. I’ve been twice and I bought the soundtrack to listen to on a recent holiday with lots of driving for DH who also loved it. My 7 and 10 year olds now both obsessed with the soundtrack as well!

Small cast who also wrote the songs and have acted together for a while which really shows. Can’t recommend highly enough! There’s a lottery you can enter for £25 tickets as well.

I haven't seen the musical yet but the whole story of "The Man who Never Was" fascinates me. It appears that there is now real doubt about the identity of the body used for the deception. An article in the Telegraph last year (16/04/22) suggests that, rather than the body being a tramp who died after ingesting rat poison, it was in fact a healthy young sailor who died of drowning when HMS Dasher went down in the Firth of Clyde. His name was John Melville and a memorial service was held for him in 2004.

Reminds me of Lipstick on your Collar ....

IIRC there is actually a song titled "Dead in the Water."

My 13 year old DD went to see it and enjoyed it! I would have gone too if I’d been in London.

i Need to put it on my list.
I also had doubts about it being musical.
thanks

It's FANTASTIC. Highly recommended. The music is on Spotify if you want to have a listen first: open.spotify.com/album/0gA0nTUk4CNoHbRljF5BP3?si=PWOdRZf4T6yEUcrrO9TIUQ

Yes, it's great. Funny, clever and moving. I would choose not to listen first, and just enjoy the surprise.

I agree. And take tissues / hankies because there are certain points where almost everyone cries.

I saw it recently and really enjoyed it, especially the first half. The second had a bit too much farce for my taste but overall still really good. I didn't cry though and didn't see anyone crying! Presumably it's the love letter song

It's really good!

Surprisingly easily actually. As has already been said, it’s brilliant (God, That’s Brilliant in fact 😆). and very funny. I’m going again on Friday.