Over the summer, I had one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to go to New York City, experience that magic people claim only happens in NYC, and see whatever Broadway shows I wanted. As a musical theater lover, I made sure to see the classics like Chicago and the now off-Broadway Little Shop of Horrors, but there were new shows I hoped to catch as well.
I wanted to see a new show, also about a dead guy, called Dead Outlaw. When I got to New York City, the first thing I did was check my Broadway news, and there I was met with the headline: “Dead Outlaw Closed June 29th”. It was June 29th. All my plans were crumbling before my eyes. My traveling partner and begrudging hero, my mom, encouraged me to pick another show. We both adore British comedies, and had heard this newer show was British, funny, and also about history, so we gave Operation Mincemeat a try.
My dad cringed in disgust. “You know that’s about a dead guy, right?” Another musical about a historic dead guy? Maybe this was meant to be.
Operation Mincemeat is based on the WW2 British military operation of the same name, where a small group of MI-5 agents were tasked with tricking the Germans into opting out of an invasion of Sicily. Their plan came from Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond, inspired by a detective novel he had read. The plan was this: dress a dead body like a British pilot, have him carry a briefcase of forged documents, stage a plane crash, and hope the Germans find the planted documents and believe them, all told in the form of musical comedy. (‘Operation Mincemeat’: The wild true story behind the Broadway show, How Ian Fleming and His Spy Scheme Inspired a Broadway Show – The New York Times)
I walked in with a crippling fear of trying new things, into a very old theater I’d never been into before. The stage, draped in yellow bunting, seemed like something out of a painting. I was crowded into a top row overlooking the stage from a daunting angle. I had no idea what I was in for. This is a poor comparison, but my experience was just like the characters, the historical figures, portrayed in the show, embracing this new idea that they’re not sure about. Operation Mincemeat is a delight! It’s hilarious, profound, buzzing with joy, wit, sharp political allegory, and social commentary, while paying homage to the real history and the unethical choices that came with it. What struck me the most about this musical is that I found it so relatable.
It’s a true underdog story, where everything that can go wrong does. Yet, it all works out in the end. That feels like the story of my life! As characters sing songs about wishing they were maggots because maggots naturally succeed without having to do any work, bouts of panic, or working at MI-5 when someone doesn’t feel up to snuff since they’re a lesser-known weirdo compared to everyone else, I see so much of my own feelings. Though the things I face on a day-to-day basis aren’t like changing the tide of the Second World War, I have been constantly replaying the tracks for motivation.
In “Just for Tonight”, Monty, the egotistical mover and shaker of the small, quirky group, urges Charles, the incredible but cripplingly anxious and self-deprecating agent and scientist, to celebrate his accomplishments in orchestrating the entire plan. He reminds everyone of the importance of letting go, living it up, and recognizing what you’ve achieved. I wouldn’t even be at university if it weren’t for seeing this show, which introduced me to one of my new favorite musicals and the idea that I belong and have worth. It’s a constant reminder that I deserve to celebrate sometimes, and student life isn’t all stress and panic.
“The Ballad of Willie Watkins” tells the true story of how an American pilot (with the same first name as the fake name of the planted corpse) crashes on the same island on the same day the body was supposed to wash up on shore, which could potentially ruin the entire operation. The gist of it is that even though life is a literal plane crash, it’s fine, and it’ll all be okay. For those in history, it did. And it gives me hope that everything will work out in my life.
If you’re able to and enjoy a ridiculous romp through history with outlandish, funny British flavor, I highly recommend seeing Operation Mincemeat while it’s still on Broadway and the West End.