Name: Operation Mincemeat
Brand: London Theatre
SKU: 23634
Rating: 100 (1 reviews)

Hello, Imelda! One of the buzziest West End openings of 2024 sees the incredible Imelda Staunton starring in Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart’s beloved musical [*Hello, Dolly!*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/37374-hello-dolly). The revival, directed by Dominic Cooke (who worked his magic with Stephen Sondheim’s *Follies* at the National Theatre), plays at the [London Palladium](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/london-palladium) from July.

Staunton takes on the iconic role of indomitable matchmaker Dolly Levi, previously played by the likes of Carol Channing, Barbra Streisand, Mary Martin, and Bette Midler. She’s joined in this London revival by an amazing cast featuring Jenna Russell, Andy Nyman, Tyrone Huntley, and Harry Hepple. 

Herman’s wonderful score includes enduring numbers like “Put On Your Sunday Clothes,” “Before the Parade Passes By,” “Ribbons Down My Back,” “Elegance,” “It Only Takes a Moment,” and the great title number. Get ready for Staunton’s next great performance by looking back at her remarkable career on stage and screen.

Check back for information on [*Hello, Dolly!* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/37374-hello-dolly) on London Theatre.

## Imelda Staunton’s beginnings

Imelda Staunton was born in north London in 1956. Her parents – first-generation immigrants from Ireland – worked as a hairdresser and a labourer, and the family home was over her mother’s salon. They were a musical clan, too: her mother could play the fiddle and the accordion.

Staunton first took an interest in acting while at school, playing roles such as Polly in *The Beggar’s Opera*. She auditioned for several drama schools and won a place at RADA, graduating in 1976.

## Imelda Staunton on stage

Staunton made her professional start performing at venues like Exeter’s Northcott Theatre, and playing starring roles early on – such as George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan. She then began her successful association with the National Theatre, returning to *The Beggar’s Opera* to play Lucy Lockit in 1982. That scored her the first of her 13 Olivier Award nominations.

A major revival of *Guys and Dolls* that same year at the [National Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/national-theatre) saw Staunton win acclaim and another nomination for her Miss Adelaide (taking over the role from Julia McKenzie) and introduced her to her husband Jim Carter. 

Staunton won her first Olivier in 1985 for her work in two shows: Emlyn Williams’s *The Corn is Green* at the [Old Vic](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/old-vic-theatre) and Alan Ayckbourn’s *A Chorus of Disapproval* at the National. In 1988, she played Sonya in Anton Chekhov’s *Uncle Vanya* in the West End, and she scored another Olivier nod for her Dorothy in *The Wizard of Oz* at the [Barbican](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/barbican). 

Her intense interpretation of Sondheim roles began with an Olivier-winning Baker’s Wife in the original London production of *Into the Woods* at the [Phoenix Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/phoenix-theatre) in 1990. However, the next few years saw Staunton mainly appearing in plays, such as Yasmina Reza’s *Life x 3* at the National, Joe Orton’s *Entertaining Mr Sloane* in the West End, and Edward Albee’s *A Delicate Balance* at the [Almeida Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/almeida-theatre).

But in 2011 came Staunton’s definitive Mrs Lovett in *Sweeney Todd*, opposite [Michael Ball](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/michael-ball), at the Chichester Festival Theatre, and then 2014 saw her astonishing Rose in *Gypsy* – first at Chichester, then in the West End. Both saw Staunton win more Olivier Awards.

Staunton returned to drama for a towering Martha in Albee’s *Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?* in the West End in 2017, then switched back to Sondheim for the landmark revival of *Follies* at the National Theatre, playing Sally. Most recently, she appeared in the new version of Alan Bennett’s *Talking Heads* at the [Bridge Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/the-bridge-theatre), in 2020.

![Follies - LT - 1200](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/64xND2CejXRB3Z6ove3p9q/d5b6e0a8f32307477f56697402aef75c/follies-imelda-staunton.jpeg)

## Imelda Staunton in film

Staunton made her big-screen debut in the 1986 historical movie *Comrades*. She appeared in the British ensemble film *Peter’s Friends* in 1992, and she had supporting roles in the Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson-led *Much Ado About Nothing* in 1993, and the Thompson-led and scripted *Sense and Sensibility* in 1995.

More Shakespeare followed with the film adaptation of *Twelfth Night* in 1996, and then the Oscar-winning *Shakespeare in Love* in 1998, in which Staunton played nurse to Gwyneth Paltrow’s noblewoman. She added her voice to 2000 animation *Chicken Run* (and is returning for its upcoming sequel), and appeared in Stephen Fry’s Evelyn Waugh adaptation *Bright Young Things* in 2003.

However, it wasn’t until 2004 that cinemagoers really saw what Staunton can do. She played the title role, a backstreet abortionist in 1950, in Mike Leigh’s searing drama *Vera Drake*; the film won the Golden Lion at Venice, while Leigh and Staunton were both nominated for Oscars and won BAFTAs.

Staunton was memorably creepy as the villainous Dolores Umbridge in *Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix*, in 2007, and she reprised the role in its sequel *The Deathly Hallows – Part 1* in 2010. She also reunited with Leigh in 2010 for *Another Year*, and was part of a magnificent ensemble in the British film *Pride* in 2014.

Staunton voiced Aunt Lucy in the *Paddington* films in 2014 and 2017 (and is set to do so again in the upcoming *Paddington in Peru*). She played a fairy in the *Maleficent* films in 2014 and 2019 and joined the *Downton Abbey* cast for its big-screen outings in 2019 and 2022.

![Imelda Staunton in A Lady of Letters, part of the Talking Heads series](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/2lM9kpzmFfJYTVibe3aBkB/e2a183122e18cf92819a0b3f26c6a5b9/Imelda_1200x600.png)

## Imelda Staunton on TV

Staunton’s TV career began with an episode of the *Playhouse* anthology series in 1982. Guest roles followed, including in *The Singing Detective* in 1986, and she starred in the romantic comedy series *Up the Garden Path* from 1990-93.

Staunton led the black comedy *If You See God, Tell Him* in 1993, the American TV drama *Citizen X* in 1995, and the British sitcom *Is It Legal?* from 1995-98. She also guest-starred in the Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie sketch show *A Bit of Fry and Laurie*, and she played The Prioress in the TV adaptation of Chaucer’s *Canterbury Tales* in 1998.

More period drama followed with *David Copperfield* in 1999, *Cambridge Spies* in 2003 (in which Staunton played The Queen Mother), *Fingersmith* in 2005, and *Cranford* in 2007. Staunton also played Louisa Durrell in *My Family and Other Animals* in 2005.

Staunton guest-starred in the horror series *Psychoville* in 2010 and played The Interface in an episode of *Doctor Who* in 2011. The following year, she won acclaim – and an Emmy nomination – for playing the wife of Alfred Hitchcock in HBO’s *The Girl*.

Staunton once again teamed up with Michael Ball for Victoria Wood’s *That Day We Sang* in 2014, and, in 2020, she starred in the thriller *Flesh and Blood*, performed one of Bennett’s *Talking Heads* monologues, and joined the cast of comedy series *Trying*.

Most recently, Staunton took on her biggest TV role to date: playing Elizabeth II in the fifth and sixth seasons of royal drama *The Crown* on Netflix. Staunton got a Golden Globe nomination for her regal portrayal of the late monarch, and she reprises the role for the final instalment of the series this month.

It will be a right royal pleasure to see Staunton back on stage in *Hello, Dolly!* – her first musical since that wonderful *Follies*. Tickets are bound to go fast, so don’t wait too long to plan your trip in 2024.

Check back for information on [*Hello, Dolly!* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/37374-hello-dolly) on London Theatre.

*Photo credit: Imelda Staunton in Follies at the National Theatre (Photo by Johan Persson)*

*Imelda Staunton in Lady of Letters at the Bridge Theatre (Photo by Zac Nicholson)*

Learn more about Imelda Staunton's career ahead of 'Hello, Dolly!'

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No under 4s admitted. Booster seats are not permitted on the Royal Circle and Grand Circle levels for health and safety reasons.

Hello, Dolly! - LON

Hello, Dolly!

Imelda Staunton will be back where she belongs in Hello, Dolly! next summer, as one of the most iconic musicals of all time comes to The London Palladium.

Imelda Staunton returns to the West End in summer 2024 to star in a major revival of Jerry Herman's classic musical *Hello, Dolly!* at the London Palladium.

The National Theatre has set its full cast for *Till the Stars Come Down*, a new play by Beth Steel. Performances begin on 24 January and run until 16 March.

Philip Whitchurch joins the previously announced cast of Lorraine Ashbourne, Lucy Black, Lisa McGrillis, Sinéad Matthews, Derek Riddell, Ruby Stokes, Alan Williams, and Marc Wootton. 

Young performers Maggie Livermore, Cadence Williams, and Bodhi Rae Breathnach share the role of Sarah.

The play, which opens at the Dorfman and marks Steel’s mainstage debut at the National, is set during a wedding over the course of a hot summer’s day. As a family prepares to welcome a newcomer into the fold, passions rise and the limits of love are tested.

The creative team includes director Bijan Sheibani (*[A Taste of Honey](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/review-a-taste-of-honey-at-trafalgar-studios), Barber Shop Chronicles*), set and costume designer Samal Blak, lighting designer Paule Constable, choreographer and movement director Aline David, sound designer Gareth Fry, fight director Kev McCurdy, intimacy coordinator Asha Jennings-Grant, staff director Stephan Mysko von Schultze, casting director Alastair Coomer CDG and children’s casting Chloe Blake.

Check back for information about *Till the Stars Come Down* tickets on London Theatre.

*Photo credit: the cast of Till the Stars Come Down. (Photo courtesy of the production)*

‘Till the Stars Come Down’ announces full cast at National Theatre 

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Former National Theatre writer-in-residence Beth Steel makes her mainstage debut with a play about a family struggling to come to terms with a changing world.

[*Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/36246-cruel-intentions-the-90s-musical) has set initial casting for its run at [The Other Palace](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/the-other-palace) in London, ahead of the performance start date on 11 January.

The *Cruel Intentions* London cast includes Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky as Kathryn, Daniel Bravo as Sebastian, Abbie Budden as Annette, Rose Galbraith as Cecile, Josh Barnett as Blaine, Jess Buckby as Ms Bunny Caldwell / Dr Greenbaum, Nickcolia King-N’Da as Ronald, and Barney Wilkinson as Greg. Further casting will be announced in due course.

The musical follows stepsiblings Kathryn and Sebastian, who make a bet to see if Sebastian can seduce the virtuous daughter of their elite high school's headmaster. Based on the hit 1999 film starring Sarah Michelle Gellar, Ryan Phillippe, Reese Witherspoon, and Selma Blair, the *Cruel Intentions* musical features a score of pop hits from the 1990s.

Book [*Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/36246-cruel-intentions-the-90s-musical) on London Theatre now.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=36246&content_product_id=36246&venue_id=782&product_type=show&qt=2)

*Photo credit: Josh Barnett, Daniel Bravo, Jess Buckby, Abbie Budden,  
Rose Galbraith, Nickcolia King-N’Da, Rhianne-Louise McCaulsky, and Barney Wilkinson. (Photos courtesy of production)*

'Cruel Intentions: The ‘90s Musical' sets London cast

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Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical - LON 

Cruel Intentions: The '90s Musical

A must-see experience in New York and Los Angeles and following a sold-out, critically-acclaimed production in the Assembly Palais du Variété spiegeltent at the 2019 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical, finally hits London.


The Other Palace will present the jukebox musical adaptation of the hit 1999 movie, with performances beginning on 11 January for a limited 14-week run.

It only takes a moment to realise why [*Hello, Dolly!*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/37374-hello-dolly), starring the inimitable [Imelda Staunton](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/imelda-staunton), should be on your list of musicals to see in the West End in 2024. 

Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart’s musical follows widow and meddling socialite Dolly Levi, who ventures to New York to find a match for the miserly, unmarried "half-a-millionaire" Horace Vandergelder. However, everything changes when she decides that the next match she makes will be for herself.

After a series of delays, the musical finally finds a home at the [London Palladium](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/london-palladium) in 2024, so don’t wait to grab your *Hello, Dolly!* tickets on London Theatre.

## Say hello to Imelda!

Even if you’ve never seen *Hello, Dolly!*, you’ve definitely heard of Imelda Staunton. She has graced the screen in box office hits such as Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and, more recently, Netflix’s royal drama The Crown, as the late Queen Elizabeth II. But she also has a long and much-lauded [career on the stage](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/learn-more-about-imelda-stauntons-career-ahead-of-hello-dolly), earning her 13 Olivier Award nominations.

Plus, her return to the stage also means a reunion with director Dominic Cooke, with whom she worked on the stunning 2017 revival of Stephen Sondheim’s *Follies* at the [National Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/national-theatre).  

## A series of delays hasn’t stopped *Hello, Dolly!* from making it to the West End.

The theatre industry suffered some crushing blows during the pandemic, and *Hello, Dolly!* is no exception. Initially scheduled to open in 2020 for a 30-week run at the [Adelphi Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/adelphi-theatre), the production was put on ice. With the Adelphi now housing the sci-fi musical [*Back to the Future*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/22396-back-to-the-future-the-musical-tickets), the show moved to the London Palladium, which means a greater seating capacity (2,300 seats!) and a 10-week run. So if you want to catch this much-anticipated and long-delayed musical while it’s in the West End, the time is now! 

## The *Hello, Dolly!* cast is brimming with talent. 

While Staunton undeniably provides the star power for *Hello, Dolly!*, she is just one ofjoined by an incredibly talented group of performers. Olivier Award-winning actress Jenna Russell, who gave critically acclaimed performances in *Sunday in the Park with George, Merrily We Roll Along*, and *Fun Home*, is Irene Molloy. Andy Nyman, best known for his horror play *Ghost Stories*, is Horace Vandergelder. Tyrone Huntley, who portrayed Judas in *Jesus Christ Superstar*, is Barnaby Tucker, and Harry Hepple, set to return to [*Hamilton*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/20561-hamilton-tickets) next year, plays Cornelius Hackl.  

## *Hello, Dolly!* has a winning writing team.

Hello, Dolly! is a classic show from powerhouses Jerry Herman (music and lyrics) and Michael Stewart (book). Herman is best known for composing the music and lyrics for *Mame* and *La Cage aux Folles*, while Stewart authored Broadway musicals including *Bye Bye Birdie* and *42nd Street*.

With Herman’s death in December 2019, this production of *Hello, Dolly!* takes on an even greater significance: Staunton and Cooke reportedly received permission to move around the show’s opening scenes and change one of its songs before he died.

## Who doesn’t love a strong female lead?

*Hello, Dolly!* regularly attracts talented actors to the title role: Carol Channing, Ethel Merman, Pearl Bailey, Mary Martin, Bette Midler, Bernadette Peters and, perhaps most famously, the Emmy, Grammy, Oscar, and Tony Award-winning singer and actress Barbra Streisand. Phew!

Now’s your chance to sing along to hits made famous by some of the most talented women in the business, such as "Put On Your Sunday Clothes," "Before the Parade Passes By," and "It Only Takes a Moment." It’s so nice to have this classic back where it belongs.

Check back for information on *Hello, Dolly!* tickets on London Theatre.

Why 'Hello, Dolly!' starring Imelda Staunton is a must-see summer musical

Find out why this much-loved classic, which is heading for the London Palladium for a 10-week run starting in July, should be on your 2024 theatre wish list.

The world premiere of [*Just For One Day*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35497-just-for-one-day) in the West End has announced its full cast, with performances beginning at the [Old Vic](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/old-vic-theatre) on 26 January.

The *Just For One Day* cast includes Jason Battersby, Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong, Olly Dobson, Joe Edgar, Kerry Enright, Jo Foster, Collette Guitart, Eddie Mann, AJ Lewis, Joel Montague, Rachel Moran, Abiona Omonua, Jack Shalloo, Danielle Steers, Tamara Tare, and Dyd Wynford.

They join the previously announced Julie Atherton, Ashley Campbell, Jackie Clune, Craige Els, James Hameed, Naomi Katiyo, Hope Kenna, Freddie Love, Emily Ooi, and Rhys Wilkinson.

The new musical by John O’Farrell (*[Mrs Doubtfire](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/24395-mrs.-doubtfire), Something Rotten*) tells the story of the 1985 fundraising concert Live Aid, which saw 70 artists across London and Philadelphia perform for free, raising $127 million for charity.

The musical features songs by Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, The Pretenders, and more.

Luke Sheppard (*[& Juliet](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/review-max-martin-musical-and-juliet-shaftesbury-theatre), [The Little Big Things](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/30038-the-little-big-things)*) directs. “It is a great privilege to have such extraordinary artists join our company,” he said in a statement. “This piece is all about the power of people coming together and I can’t wait to see what this group of brilliant performers will achieve on the legendary Old Vic stage.”

The creative team includes set designer Soutra Gilmour, costume designer Fay Fullerton, lighting designer Howard Hudson, musical supervisor and orchestrator Matthew Brind, choreographer Ebony Molina, sound designer Gareth Owen, and video and animation designer Andrzej Goulding.

Book [*Just For One Day* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/35497-just-for-one-day) on London Theatre.

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*Photo credit: the cast of Just For One Day. (Photo courtesy of production)*

‘Just For One Day’ reveals full West End cast

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Just For One Day | Old Vic - LON

Just For One Day

Relive the day music brought the world together.   

The jukebox musical brings the story of Live Aid to the stage at the Old Vic next year, featuring songs from Bob Dylan and David Bowie, among others.

The multi-award-winning play *Red Pitch* is set to transfer to the West End’s newest venue @sohoplace for a strictly limited seven-week run beginning 15 March. The play will replace *The Little Big Things,* which runs until 2 March.

The play, written by Tyrell Williams, will return with its original cast: Kedar Williams-Stirling (*Sex Education*), Emeka Sesay (*The Power*) and Francis Lovehall (*Small Axe*). Bush Theatre’s associate artistic director Daniel Bailey directs.

[In a four-star review on London Theatre, our critic said:](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/red-pitch-review-bush-theatre) “The play works as both a striking portrait of friendship rent asunder but also reinforced, and as a separate enquiry into a community under threat.”

Originally performed at the Bush Theatre in February 2022, the production has won a number of awards including the George Devine Award and Best New Play at the OffWestEnd Awards. Writer Williams was named Best Writer at the Stage Debut Awards, Most Promising Playwright at the Critics' Circle Theatre Awards and was awarded the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Most Promising Playwright.

Red Pitch follows three friends and local London boys Omz, Bilal and Joey, who live in an area that is being steadily gentrified. The play explores the impact of this change on London’s communities.

The play, which opens with previews on 15 March and runs until 4 May, is produced by Chuchu Nwagu, Adam Kenwright and Nica Burns.

Book [*Red Pitch* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/37504-red-pitch) on London Theatre.

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*Photo credit: the cast of Red Pitch. (Photo by Helen Murray)*

‘Red Pitch’ to transfer to @sohoplace in the West End in 2024

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Red Pitch - LON [37504] 

Red Pitch

Red Pitch, celebrated by critics as a “remarkable, next-level coming-of-age story”  by acclaimed writer Tyrell Williams, transfers to London’s newest West End theatre, @sohoplace, following 2 sold-out, award-winning runs at the Bush Theatre.

Tyrell Williams’s play about the pressures of gentrification opens with previews on 15 March and the cast includes Sex Education’s Kedar Williams-Stirling.

Go on a journey to the Upside Down! [*Stranger Things: The First Shadow*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/29263-stranger-things-the-first-shadow) has released new West End production photos, offering a sneak peek into the hit TV series's supernatural world at London’s [Phoenix Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/phoenix-theatre).

Created by writer Jack Thorne, director Stephen Daldry, and producer Sonia Friedman, the stage prequel to the Duffer Brothers’ popular Netflix streaming series is set in the 1950s. *Stranger Things: The First Shadow* features much-loved characters including Joyce Maldonado and Jim Hopper.

Check out photos of the cast in this exciting and otherworldly new production, booking now until 25 August.

Book [*Stranger Things: The First Shadow* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/29263-stranger-things-the-first-shadow) on London Theatre.

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*Photo credit: the cast of Stranger Things. (Photos courtesy of production)*

See photos of ‘Stranger Things: The First Shadow’ in the West End

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Recommended 12+. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. Under 5s not permitted.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow - LON

Stranger Things: The First Shadow

Brought to life by a multi-award-winning creative team, who take theatrical storytelling and stagecraft to a whole new dimension, this gripping new adventure will take you right back to the beginning of the Stranger Things story – and may hold the key to the end.


Take a trip to the small town of Hawkins as Netflix’s hit show comes to London’s West End for the first time, in a production directed by Stephen Daldry.

Look back on your year in theatre! Theatre review site Show-Score and ticketing platform TodayTix bring their second annual Year in Reviews campaign back to London. The campaign allows theatregoers to log their theatre habits and receive information about shows. [Take part in Year In Reviews 2023 on Show-Score.](https://www.show-score.com/year-in-reviews?utm_source=londontheatre&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=year-in-reviews&utm_adgroup=article)

Show-Score is an online community that compiles reviews from both users and critics, along with other show-related content, to help audiences find the shows that suit them.

Theatregoers can log onto Show-Score and compile a list of all the shows they've seen in 2023. Show-Score will then present them with infographics on how many minutes they’ve spent at the theatre, their most-visited London theatres, and more.

Users are encouraged to share Year in Reviews stats on their social media platforms. Everyone who follows and tags Show-Score's and TodayTix's social media accounts in their posts will be entered into a drawing for a £365 TodayTix gift voucher.

Year in Reviews runs from now until 5 January, at which time a winner will be chosen for the TodayTix voucher. Users do not need a Show-Score account to participate, though creating one will unlock additional statistics. Users with an account will also have all the shows they reviewed this year automatically added to their Year in Reviews list.

Show-Score and TodayTix launch Year in Reviews 2023

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Back in London for the second year, the program allows people to share their 2023 theatregoing habits and stats for a chance to win a TodayTix gift voucher.

We all need a good laugh sometimes, and especially in the winter – it’s the perfect antidote to those long, cold, frosty nights. Happily, the West End is chock-full of uproarious comedies, which are bound to make you forget your troubles with their side-splitting slapstick or sizzling one-liners. 

Mischief’s Goes Wrong franchise continues to make audiences howl with laughter, including original hit *[The Play That Goes Wrong](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/345-play-that-goes-wrong-tickets)* and seasonal special *Peter Pan Goes Wrong*. Or perhaps you might like the right royal comedy *[Backstairs Billy](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/32850-backstairs-billy)* – *The Crown* with more gags – or the incredible long-runner [*The Book of Mormon*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/287-book-of-mormon-tickets), still the most outrageous comedy in town.

Book [West End comedy tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/comedy) now on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/comedy)

![The Play That Goes Wrong - LT - 1200](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/7ka3a68P2Sse2aYzKGrOFs/bdaa0b18ed136c7d7e072516f11720b0/wrong.jpg)

## *[The Play That Goes Wrong](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/345-play-that-goes-wrong-tickets)*, [Duchess Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/duchess-theatre)

All the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society wants to do is put on its latest show, a 1920s country-house murder mystery in the Agatha Christie vein – but everything conspires against this hilariously beleaguered amateur drama troupe. 

Cast members forget their lines or are knocked out cold, music cues are muddled, the doors stick, and, piece by piece, the entire set collapses around them – even as the cast try desperately to keep the show going. Their wrongdoings will have you crying with laughter.

Book [*The Play That Goes Wrong* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/345-play-that-goes-wrong-tickets) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/8547/2023-09?content_product_id=345&product_type=show&qt=2&venue_id=135)

![Backstairs Billy - LT - 1200](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1Ex4RAgZbXS9Rxn6dCiHgi/5349a2f38b39a3ebddec01090e8a512d/Luke-Evans-Billy-Penelope-Wilton-Queen-Mother.-photo-by-Johan-Persson-1.jpeg)

## *[Backstairs Billy](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/32850-backstairs-billy)*, [Duke of York's Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/duke-of-yorks-theatre)

Marcelos Dos Santos gives us a sneak peek behind the scenes at Clarence House and offers a riveting new view of the late Queen Mother via her relationship with her devoted Page of the Backstairs, William “Billy” Tallon.

As portrayed by Luke Evans, the latter is a wickedly funny, flamboyant gay man, whose naughty sense of humour chimes with that of the Queen Mother – who just wants some fun. Add in high-wire farce involving a formal function and a phallic artwork, and this show is a right royal treat of a comedy.

Book [*Backstairs Billy* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/32850-backstairs-billy) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/8547/2023-09?content_product_id=32850&product_type=show&qt=2&venue_id=135)

![peter pan goes wrong-1200x600-NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1WSNL5RQfFdTFi0vvsQkU7/1c879c05b63b8adbb1925b5d8a7ce5b4/peter_pan_goes_wrong-1200x600-NYTG.jpg)

## *[Peter Pan Goes Wrong](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/28171-peter-pan-goes-wrong)*, [Lyric Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/lyric-theatre)

Why have one Mischief show in the West End when you can have two? Theatregoers have their pick of brilliantly catastrophic shows this Christmas, as *[Peter Pan Goes Wrong](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/28171-peter-pan-goes-wrong)* flies back into town – and promptly crashes.

Yes, this disaster-laden riff on JM Barrie’s classic tale about Peter, Wendy and their adventures in Neverland involves not just Cornley Society mayhem like flubbed lines and backstage rivalries, but the added craziness of wirework. It’s seasonal silliness galore. 

Book [*Peter Pan Goes Wrong* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/28171-peter-pan-goes-wrong) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/8547/2023-09?content_product_id=28171&product_type=show&qt=2&venue_id=135)

![Dear England - LT - 1200](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3gSfTgieBGJr4reOSYLRo7/b916291c7b3e1b68307016f5e4286dcb/The_cast_of_Dear_England_in_the_West_End._Credit_Marc_Brenner__2_.jpg)

## *[Dear England](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/33512-dear-england)*, [Prince Edward Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/prince-edward-theatre)

James Graham scored big-time with his cracking National Theatre show about England manager Gareth Southgate (played by Joseph Fiennes) and how he transformed the culture of our national football team – and transformed the country too.

Although it stealthily tackles big subjects like Englishness, masculinity and mental health, it's a rollicking ride in Rupert Goold’s hugely entertaining production, with a great cast wittily inhabiting all those iconic sporting figures. This is a great night out, whether or not you're footie mad.

Book [*Dear England* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/33512-dear-england) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/8547/2023-09?content_product_id=33512&product_type=show&qt=2&venue_id=135)

![The Unfriend - 750 - LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/2wZGZ6m4D5xiFT8Ew3DNTz/2e85c6742316821a12cdf57a4c8ad11b/Unfriend-750-060223.jpg)

## *[The Unfriend](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/26431-the-unfriend)*, [Wyndham’s Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/wyndhams-theatre)

It’s the ultimate British nightmare. Peter and Debbie befriend a stranger on holiday, the brash American Elsa, and invite her to stay – and she actually turns up! Worse, she’s harbouring a dark secret. But how can they get rid of her politely?

*Sherlock* and *Doctor Who* writer Steven Moffat made a memorable theatre debut with this hysterical cringe comedy, directed by Mark Gatiss. It’s back by popular demand for an encore run, starring Lee Mack, Sarah Alexander, and Frances Barber.

Book [*The Unfriend* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/26431-the-unfriend) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/8547/2023-09?content_product_id=26431&product_type=show&qt=2&venue_id=135)

![Noises Off - LT - 1200](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/2wQsJ1R53zhxTRaoIBhi9/ac3f0f9f388d9a02e1ce28ca5329caf5/noises_off.jpg)

## *[Noises Off](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/26701-noises-off)*, [Theatre Royal Haymarket](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/theatre-royal-haymarket)

Michael Frayn’s peerless farce-within-a-farce is a timeless classic of British comedy. It follows an increasingly fractious theatre troupe as they tour a creaky sex farce around the country, all while dealing with much funnier dramas behind the scenes – which we see literally as the set flips around to show us the backstage.

This 40th-anniversary production, impeccably directed by Lindsay Posner, has an all-star cast that features Felicity Kendal, Alexander Hanson, Mathew Horne, James Fleet, Jonathan Coy, and Tamzin Outhwaite. It’s finishing soon, so make sure you don’t miss it!

Book [*Noises Off* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/26701-noises-off) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/8547/2023-09?content_product_id=26701&product_type=show&qt=2&venue_id=135)

![The Motive and the Cue - 1200 - LT](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/5E1SdOK8cBKCOBYxhlDa8/060037c4668026c05d6767f1034edff1/Mark_Gatiss__Sir_John_Gielgud__and_Johnny_Flynn__Richard_Burton__in_The_Motive_and_the_Cue_at_the_National_Theatre._Photo_by.jpg)

## *[The Motive and the Cue](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/31956-the-motive-and-the-cue)*, [Noel Coward Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/noel-coward-theatre)

It’s the clash of the theatrical titans in Jack Thorne’s fascinating and often uproarious backstage play, which takes us into the rehearsal room where Richard Burton is preparing to give his Hamlet on Broadway in 1964, directed by Sir John Gielgud.

Their sparring is great fun, as is the juxtaposition between Burton's drink-fuelled Hollywood lifestyle (with new celebrity wife Elizabeth Burton) and Gielgud's frugal existence, as vividly illustrated in Sam Mendes’s production. Johnny Flynn and Mark Gatiss make a brilliant double act in this must-see meta-comedy.

Book [*The Motive and the Cue* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/31956-the-motive-and-the-cue) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/8547/2023-09?content_product_id=31956&product_type=show&qt=2&venue_id=135)

![The London company of The Book of Mormon](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/5XGa9kSpTGxkwcvjpFw3m6/cd06cd952420f2fcc3d04694549ae263/Mormon_1200x600.png)

## *[The Book of Mormon](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/287-book-of-mormon-tickets)*, [Prince of Wales Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/prince-of-wales-theatre)

Last but definitely not least, *[The Book of Mormon](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/287-book-of-mormon-tickets)* is one of the most jaw-dropping comedies, full stop, in the West End or otherwise. Created by *South Park*’s Trey Parker and Matt Stone and composer Robert Lopez (*Frozen*, *Avenue Q*), it’s a rip-roaring satire that takes no prisoners.

The musical follows two naïve and mismatched Mormon missionaries posted to a remote village in Uganda. It pokes fun at everyone, including the Mormons whose only knowledge of Africa comes from *[The Lion King](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/302-the-lion-king-tickets)*, but it also shows a sweet friendship developing. *The Book of Mormon* is a madcap comedy with heart.

Book [*The Book of Mormon* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/287-book-of-mormon-tickets) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/8547/2023-09?content_product_id=287&product_type=show&qt=2&venue_id=135)

The best comedies in the West End

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From side-splitting farce to royal romps to dark comedies and much more, here are the London plays and musicals most likely to bring a smile to your face.

The best of the West End meets the ballroom! On 2 December, it's Musicals Week on *Strictly Come Dancing*, where the five remaining couples are dancing to songs from London's hit musicals.

Take a sneak peek at the West End musicals featured on *Strictly Come Dancing* this Saturday, from Disney classics to film-to-stage adaptations and more. If you like the numbers you see and hear, book tickets to see the full shows live in London!

Book [tickets to West End musicals](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/musicals) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/musicals)

## *Moulin Rouge! The Musical*

Maybe Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzman can-can-can advance to the next round with their paso doble to "Backstage Romance" — a steamy mash-up of Lady Gaga's "Bad Romance," Britney Spears's "Toxic," and more — from *Moulin Rouge! The Musical*.

Based on the hit Baz Luhrmann film, the stage show follows the star-crossed romance between a writer and a courtesan at the title nightclub. With all the glamour of the movie and dozens more modern [pop songs](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/all-the-pop-songs-in-moulin-rouge-the-musical), the stage show is even more spectacular (spectacular).

Book [*Moulin Rouge! The Musical* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/23350-moulin-rouge-the-musical-tickets) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=23350&content_product_id=23350&venue_id=131&product_type=show&qt=2)

## *Wicked*

Annabel Croft and Johannes Radebe could change the course of the competition for good with their foxtrot to "For Good." This bittersweet ode to friendship is from *Wicked*, a *Wizard of Oz* prequel that imagines Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, as friends before their fellow Ozians pitted them against each other.

This musical blockbuster has been in the West End since 2006 and continues to enchant audiences with songs like "Defying Gravity" and "Dancing Through Life." That one sounds like a plum choice for the next *Strictly* Musicals Week!

Book [*Wicked* tickets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/313-wicked-tickets) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar/313/2023-08?content_product_id=1587&venue_id=138)

## *Dirty Dancing*

Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell are sure to have the time of their lives doing a salsa to “(I’ve Had) The Time Of My Life” from the iconic romance film *Dirty Dancing*, which got the West End musical treatment in 2022. 

The show had two successful runs in London, but the latest closed in April 2023. While you wait for it to dance back around again, you can see other romantic, dance-heavy musicals like [*Crazy For You*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27116-crazy-for-you) and [*Mamma Mia!*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/304-mamma-mia-tickets)

## *Mary Poppins* and *Beauty and the Beast*

The remaining two numbers in Musicals Week are from Disney favorites. Nigel Harman and Katya Jones will Charleston to the high-stepping "Step in Time" from *Mary Poppins*, the classic story of a magical nanny, and Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola will quickstep to "Belle" from *Beauty and the Beast*, about a bookish young woman who teaches a selfish beast to love.

Neither show is currently in the West End, so you unfortunately can't hear these songs on stage. But if you want to get your Disney fix, check out the long-running blockbuster [*The Lion King*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/302-the-lion-king-tickets) or the magical princess tale [*Frozen*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/23585-frozen-the-musical).

## See *Strictly Come Dancing* live

Can't get enough of *Strictly* on screen? Combine the dancing of the TV programme with the thrill of live theatre by seeing the *Strictly Come Dancing* U.K. tour. The tour will stop in [Birmingham](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34580-strictly-come-dancing-birmingham), [Sheffield](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34581-strictly-come-dancing-sheffield), [Newcastle](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34582-strictly-come-dancing-newcastle), [Glasgow](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34583-strictly-come-dancing-glasgow), [Liverpool](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34584-strictly-come-dancing-liverpool), [Leeds](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34585-strictly-come-dancing-leeds), [Manchester](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34586-strictly-come-dancing-manchester), [Nottingham](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34587-strictly-come-dancing-nottingham), and [London](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/34579-strictly-come-dancing-london), and London Theatre has tickets to them all.

Book [tickets to the *Strictly Come Dancing* U.K. tour](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/strictly-come-dancing-tour) on London Theatre.

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/strictly-come-dancing-tour)

*Photo credit: Moulin Rouge! The Musical. (Photo by Matt Crockett)*

See West End musicals featured on 'Strictly Come Dancing'

moulin rouge london-1200-190122.jpg

Week 11 of the hit ballroom dancing competition programme is Musicals Week, and five couples will perform to songs from beloved theatre on 2 December.

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*Operation Mincemeat* transfers to its newest London home, the Fortune Theatre. *Operation Mincemeat* tickets will be available on London Theatre soon.

The *Operation Mincemeat* musical is based on the World War Two mission of the same name, which saw two members of British intelligence dress a deceased man as a Royal Marines officer to acquire information. The well-dressed corpse would eventually go on to trick Adolf Hitler, and the secret cross-dressing mission helped the Allied Forces win the war. *Operation Mincemeat* combines social commentary and farce in order to unpack the unbelievable true story. 

In a [five-star review of *Operation Mincemeat* for London Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/operation-mincemeat-at-southwark-playhouse), our critic said: “From its opening chorus, Operation Mincemeat is a fizzy, clever, compelling new musical. Operation Mincemeat speaks perfectly to the current political moment, but in subtle ways.” 

*Operation Mincemeat* premiered at New Diorama Theatre in 2019, and has since played three extended periods at Southwark Playhouse in 2020, 2021 and 2022. Now, *Operation Mincemeat* heads west to Hammersmith. *Operation Mincemeat* flies the flag for original British theatre, as it's created by homegrown company SpitLip.

Tickets to *Operation Mincemeat* will be available soon. 

Operation Mincemeat - LON - London Theatre

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Operation Mincemeat

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“You really couldn’t write it, could you?” So quips Ewen Montagu, one of the real-life heroes of the, well, frankly unbelievable Second World War intelligence ruse which aided the Allies’ invasion of Sicily. It’s also an irresistible premise for a musical – and, like the tale that inspired it, *[Operation Mincemeat](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/23634-operation-mincemeat-tickets)* is a cheering homegrown success story, going from the tiny New Diorama Theatre in 2019, through runs at [Southwark Playhouse](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/operation-mincemeat-at-southwark-playhouse) and [Riverside Studios](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/riverside-studios), all the way to the West End.

It’s a marvellous fit for the [Fortune Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/fortune-theatre), which housed *The Woman in Black* for decades, but will now surely see a lengthy run for this ingenious, witty, and surprisingly moving show. Devised by troupe SpitLip, and effectively tightened by incoming director Robert Hastie, it’s a pithy telling of a complex tale. The humourless Colin Firth-led movie wasn’t nearly as nimble — nor did it feature brilliant cross-casting, astonishing quick-changes, or a bedazzled vampire of a coroner.

But, oddly enough, all of that feels entirely in keeping with the spirit of Operation Mincemeat. Dreamed up by Ian “James Bond” Fleming (although the show rearranges a few facts to suit their version), it involved disguising a corpse as a fictional British captain who had crash-landed in Spain. On his person were faked secret documents, designed to fool German spies into thinking that the Allies were actually planning to invade Sardinia, not Sicily.

That plan required great creative thinking, immense courage, a dash of eccentricity, and a huge leap of faith. So too does this boundlessly inventive show constantly set its ambitions seemingly beyond its resources (including a cast of five summoning numerous characters) — and somehow not just meet but exceed them. It gives you a similar rush to the discovery of the small-but-mighty *Six*, with which it shares some DNA.

Natasha Hodgson takes charge of proceedings as a splendidly swaggering, Eton-educated, utterly self-assured Montagu, who believes he was born to lead. (As, on this evidence, was Hodgson.) It’s a brilliantly pitched performance: part sharp satire of posh male entitlement, part intrepid charmer who holds firm when others panic, enlivened with physical comedy that works all the better for the cross-casting.

Hodgson doesn’t shy away from her character’s darker side either: Montagu can be condescending towards female colleagues, and treats the dead man as completely disposable because he was a penniless tramp. But she conveys, too, Montagu’s need to compartmentalise and to grab “the small flashes of joy” in dark times. He wasn’t perfect; he was human.  

David Cumming mines both humour and poignancy from the geeky scientist Charles Cholmondeley, who lacks Montagu’s blithe public-school confidence, yet gradually blossoms thanks to their odd-couple friendship. Claire-Marie Hall strikes a girl-power note as new recruit Rose Leslie, eager to do more than make tea; her big number borrows Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies” dance.

Zoë Roberts moves seamlessly between a gruff Colonel Johnny Bevan, a callow Ian Fleming, and a perspiring overseas asset. But it’s Jak Malone who almost walks off with the show — both with a dynamite comic turn, as creepy coroner Spilsbury, and as the fastidious MI5 matron Hester Leggett. The latter reveals her own wartime heartbreak while composing a fake love letter from their captain’s fiancée in the exquisitely tender song “Dear Bill”.

But then that’s the remarkable magic trick that this show pulls off. Just when you think it can’t get any zanier, it swerves into heartfelt sincerity — and somehow honours these quiet heroes, whose pivotal deeds were kept secret, as well as (in a beautiful climactic moment) the man who gave his life for his country: the borrowed corpse, Glyndwr Michael. 

All of that is cleverly couched within rip-roaring entertainment. There are glimmers of Monty Python, Mel Brooks, Gilbert and Sullivan, Noël Coward, and our proud music hall tradition. The wide-ranging score features patter songs, edging into *[Hamilton](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/20561-hamilton-tickets)* rap territory, as well as jazzy 1940s-style harmonies, a blast of electro for the Nazis, a wistful sea shanty, and a big glitzy Hollywood finale (fabulous choreography throughout from Jenny Arnold). 

Ben Stones’s set, with its graph-paper back wall, wheeled blackboard/portable door, and all-important rotary phones, cleverly facilitates the show’s lightning-fast pace. The slapstick here is first-rate: I particularly love one set-piece involving a dizzying tangle of hats and phone cords. Mark Henderson supplies strip lighting for the gang’s basement office, and helps us switch locations — as in a bravura sequence alternating between a delirious night out on the town and a submarine’s stealthy mission.

There are even topical gags about the incompetent Government and the coronation. But the way it captures our peculiarly British love of silly (but much-needed) irreverence feels timeless — as does the show’s message that it matters who, or what, we fight for. The inspiring *Operation Mincemeat* will surely make us all want to fight to nurture more original musicals like this one.

*Operation Mincemeat is at the Fortune Theatre through 19 August.*

*Photo credit: Operation Mincemeat (Photo by Matt Crockett)*

'Operation Mincemeat' review – this gem of a musical is a rip-roaring British success story

Operation Mincemeat - 1200 - LT

Operation Mincemeat - LON [23634]

Read our five-star review of the West End transfer of SpitLip's *Operation Mincemeat* at the Fortune Theatre, with performances currently through 19 August.

The Fortune Theatre opened on 8 Nov. 1924, and was the first theatre to be built in London after World War I. 

During the 1930s, the Fortune Theatre hosted a plethora of works including several from amateur societies. The theatre was used during World War II by the Entertainments National Service Association, who provided entertainment for the British armed forces. 

Following the war, the entertainment elite performed at the Fortune Theatre, including [Judi Dench](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/judi-dench), Maureen Lipman and Alan Bennett. 

The Fortune Theatre is most famous for hosting its current production, *The Woman in Black* which has played at the theatre since June 1989. The theatre is currently owned by the Ambassador Theatre Group.

## Fortune Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels – Stalls, Dress Circle and Upper Circle. The Fortune Theatre is the second smallest West End house and offers a very inclusive theatrical experience.

The Stalls offers good legroom throughout. The seating rake affects the last few rows of seats.

The Dress Circle seats still allow good views.

The Upper Circle is set relatively high in the theatre for such a small space, set back from the Dress Circle.

Fortune Theatre - LON

Fortune Theatre

When two members of British intelligence dress a deceased man as a Royal Marines officer to acquire information from Nazis, they don't expect to help the Allied Forces win the war! After performances at New Diorama Theatre, Southwark Playhouse, and Riverside Studios, *Operation Mincemeat* transfers to the West End. Learn more about *Operation Mincemeat* tickets at the Fortune Theatre today.


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'Operation Mincemeat' review – this gem of a musical is a rip-roaring British success story

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