The world premiere of *My Neighbour Totoro* triumphed at the 2023 Olivier Awards, winning six categories out of its nine nominations at the ceremony. It’s a good time for the Studio Ghibli stage adaptation, too, as *My Neighbour Totoro* will open in the West End next year, with performances at the [Gillian Lynne Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/gillian-lynne-theatre) from 8 March.

Based on Hayao Miyazaki’s 1988 Studio Ghibli film, *My Neighbour Totoro* follows Satsuki and Mei,...

Here's why 'My Neighbour Totoro' deserved all the Oliviers

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Based on Hayao Miyazaki’s 1988 Studio Ghibli film, *My Neighbour Totoro* will return to London later next year, opening at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.

Next year, the [Royal Shakespeare Company’s](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/royal-shakespeare-company) triumphant 2022 stage adaptation of [*My Neighbour Totoro*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/25389-my-neighbour-totoro) heads to the West End's [Gillian Lynne Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/gillian-lynne-theatre) for a third run due to enormous popular demand. The show won six Olivier Awards and broke the Barbican’s box office record for the most tickets...

What to expect from London shows based on Studio Ghibli films

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Studio Ghibli is a renowned Japanese animation film studio founded in 1985. They are known for creating imaginative movies, including *My Neighbour Totoro* and *Spirited Away*.

A stage adaptation of television comedy *Inside No 9* will arrive in the West End next year. The show opens for a 12-week run at Wyndham's Theatre from 18 January 2025.

The TV show's original writers and performers Steve Pemberton (*The Pillowman*) and Reece Shearsmith (*A Very Expensive Poison*) will star in the West End show, titled *Stage/Fright*, which will blend original material with familiar characters from the series. 

Speaking about the announcement, Pemberton and Shearsmith said:...

Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith's 'Inside No 9' to be adapted for the West End 

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The TV show's original creators Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith will star in the West End adaptation when it opens next year. 

The hit musical comedy *Titanique* has confirmed plans for a West End run later this year. The show is currently performing at Off-Broadway venue the Daryl Roth Theatre.

The musical, which is co-written by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle, and Constantine Rousouli, has received critical acclaim and multiple awards since its premiere off Broadway at Asylum Theater in 2022.

The parody of James Cameron's Oscar-winning *Titanic* film features a raft of Celine Dion’s iconic songs including “My Heart Will...

'Titanique' confirms planned West End run

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The musical has received critical acclaim and multiple awards since its premiere off Broadway at Asylum Theater in 2022. It is currently at the Daryl Roth Theatre.

The British writer James Graham is on an incredible run at the moment. He just won the Olivier Award for Best New Play for *Dear England*, a fantastic drama about football manager Gareth Southgate, which enticed new audiences into theatre, and the musical *Tammy Faye*, for which he supplied the book, is opening on Broadway this autumn.

He’s also a prolific screenwriter, with recent hits including the crime series *Sherwood* and the dystopian drama *The Way*. Graham has that rare combination of...

Learn more about James Graham’s career ahead of 'Boys from the Blackstuff'

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From plays *Dear England* and *This House* to TV hits like *Sherwood*, Graham is unstoppable – and now his *Boys from the Blackstuff* is coming to the West End.

The bright lights of West End theatres are always appealing, but there are also a number of exciting Off-West End venues in the capital, such as the small but mighty [Bush Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/bush-theatre), which is nestled in west London.

This theatre has always punched above its weight, launching the careers of hugely successful writers such as James Graham and Lucy Kirkwood, as well as actors like Victoria Wood, Alan Rickman, Andrew Scott, and Phoebe...

A complete guide to the Bush Theatre

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Get to know this exciting new-writing venue in west London, which has launched the careers of Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Victoria Wood, among others.

The acclaimed screen and stage actor Ben Whishaw is back in town, starring in the premiere of Margaret Perry’s *[Bluets](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/39930-bluets)* at the Royal Court. The play is an adaptation of Maggie Nelson’s book and follows someone obsessed with the colour blue – taking in artists like Joni Mitchell and Billie Holiday as they navigate a devastating heartbreak.

Whishaw is joined in *Bluets* by *House of the Dragon* star Emma D’Arcy and *The Girl Before*’s Kayla...

Learn more about Ben Whishaw's career ahead of 'Bluets' at the Royal Court

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The James Bond and *Paddington* actor is co-starring in this new adaptation of Maggie Nelson's book *Bluets* with Emma D'Arcy and Kayla Meikle.

It’s another fantastic year for [Shakespeare plays](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/whats-on/shakespeare) in London, and as the weather (finally!) improves, you can start getting those outdoor shows in the diary, as well as all of the brilliant productions in the West End and beyond.

If you’re after a fresh take on the Bard, you’re definitely in luck. Sir Ian McKellen is already wowing audiences, giving his Falstaff a dynamic new spin in Robert Icke's adaptation of *Henry IV*, *[Player...

See modern adaptations and outdoor productions of Shakespeare plays in London

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From Ian McKellen in *Player Kings* to an incredible open-air season at Shakespeare's Globe, there's a wide variety of shows on offer in London.

You just can’t beat family when it comes to riveting drama. Perhaps that’s because no one gets under your skin quite like the people you love and who know you best – and who are bonded to you by blood, like it or not. From Greek tragedy through Shakespearean slanging matches and contemporary clans, shows with family drama at their centre have always ruled our stages.

That’s certainly true of London theatre this year, which features a range of bickering families – from plays like *[Long Day's...

Watch West End family dramas on the London stage

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Enter the homes of these loving but fraught families in West End plays such as *Long Day's Journey Into Night* and musicals like *Back to the Future*.

Get ready for what promises to be the most talked-about play of the year. Hollywood star John Lithgow will play Roald Dahl in a new drama, *[Giant](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/39984-giant)*, which sees the famous author about to release his children’s book *The Witches*, but then rocked by a scandal surrounding anti-Semitic comments he made in an article.

Mark Rosenblatt’s debut play, directed by Nicholas Hytner (artistic director of the Bridge Theatre), also stars Elliot Levey...

Learn more about John Lithgow's career ahead of him playing Roald Dahl in 'Giant'

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The Tony and Emmy-winning Hollywood actor is starring in Mark Rosenblatt’s provocative new play *Giant* at the Royal Court in London this autumn.

UPDATE: *Operation Mincemeat* will now play at the Fortune Theatre to 19 August.

Can you keep this secret? [*Operation Mincemeat*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/23634-operation-mincemeat-tickets) will transfer to the West End in 2023. *Operation Mincemeat* begins previews at the [Fortune Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/fortune-theatre) on 29 March, with performances scheduled to 8 July.

The *Operation Mincemeat* musical is based on the World War Two mission of the same name. The musical follows two members of British intelligence dress a deceased man as a Royal Marines officer in order to acquire information from the enemy

After premiering at New Diorama Theatre in 2019, *Operation Mincemeat* then transferred to Southwark Playhouse, followed by a stint at Riverside Studios.

In a [five-star *Operation Mincemeat* review for London Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/operation-mincemeat-at-southwark-playhouse), our critic said: “Operation Mincemeat is a fizzy, clever, compelling new musical… its mockery of the privileges of white masculinity, the insulating power of wealth, the recklessness of government guided by and for the few, also points at the frustrating and insidious truth of privilege: sometimes those rich jerks look like they're having so much fun.” 

British theatre company SpitLip create *Operation Mincemeat*. The SpitLip company star: Natasha Hodgson, David Cumming, Zoë Roberts, Jak Malone, and Claire-Marie Hall, alongside Geri Allen, Christian, Seán Carey, and Holly Sumpton.

Rob Hastie directs, with choreography by Jenny Arnold, set and costume design by Ben Stones, lighting design by Mark Henderson, and sound design by Mike Walker.

*Operation Mincemeat* is at the Fortune Theatre.

*Photo credit: Operation Mincemeat (Photo courtesy of Operation Mincemeat)*

‘Operation Mincemeat’ to transfer to the West End

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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. 

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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.


“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

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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.

‘Operation Mincemeat’ to transfer to the West End

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