Naval intelligence officer Ewen Montagu welcomes us to MI5, where the brightest and best of the British military are contributing to the Allies’ military strategy. At this stage in World War II, things aren't looking good. Of course, the officers are all men from privileged backgrounds (the twist being that they’re played by women in the show). The plan is to convince the Germans that they’re planning to invade the Italian island of Sardinia, when they’re really aiming for Sicily. How should they sell a fake campaign?

Montagu and his fellow intelligence officers, including Ian Fleming (later of James Bond fame), put forward their various ideas. They're all very pleased with themselves, but these suggestions are dismissed as too far-fetched by their boss, Colonel John Bevan.

Air Force officer and keen naturalist Charles Cholmondeley has plenty of ideas, but he lacks confidence. Montagu recognizes the potential of Cholmondeley’s idea for an initiative called “Operation Mincemeat,” bizarre as it may be.

Head secretary Hester Leggatt introduces new employee Jean Leslie. The war has opened up new opportunities for women, but equality is still a long way off. The number is a riff on Beyonce’s “Single Ladies,” and its pop sound echoes that of another British musical, Six, as well.

Montagu and Cholmondeley pitch their idea to Bevan: They will find a male corpse, dress it in a British military uniform, and plant it off the coast of neutral Spain with the identity of the nonexistent Major William “Bill” Martin. He'll be found with documents with fake Allied plans to invade Sardinia, which will influence the Nazis to move their troupes out of Sicily. It’s a long shot, but it is the best idea Bevan has heard so far.

So where are they to source the body for this hush-hush mission? They can’t just go to the local morgue. The famous, and rather shady, pathologist Sir Bernard Spillsbury is their man. He locates the body of a homeless man who died by suicide in Croydon by taking rat poison. No one will miss him, and “foreigners aren’t great coroners,” so they won’t know the real cause of death.

“Bill” will be transported to Spain by submarine, with a wallet containing a lease agreement for his flat, receipts from a night out in the West End, and a letter from his fiancée as a reminder of what he’s fighting for. The end result ought to justify the morally questionable means, right?

In perhaps the show’s most emotional number, Hester composes a letter from Bill’s fiancée, full of everyday news about family and friends. The words become increasingly personal, and it becomes clear that the letter is inspired by Hester’s memories of her own fiancé fighting in World War I. "Dear Bill" shows a different side of the no-nonsense head secretary, and original cast member Jak Malone's performance of the song earned him Olivier and Tony Awards.

A prelude titled "Love Is a Bird," which isn't featured on Mincemeat's cast album, sees Cholmondeley and Jean attempt to pen a love letter to be found on Bill's person. The results aren't very convincing, which is why Hester steps in.

The submariners who are transporting Bill’s body to Spain sings this sea shanty about choosing this nomadic life for the adventure and comradeship.

The song has become a kind of anthem for the musical and the characters' unlikely collaboration to make it through the war: "If it's down, it's down together. If it's up, it's up as one. So sail on, boys, through stormy weather; soon the journey will be done."

Cholmondeley is anxious about what they have done, but Montagu encourages him to embark on a night on the town to celebrate. These carefree hijinks contrast with the submariners’ careful precision toward their mission. The song ends on a cliffhanger as Act 1 ends and intermission begins: “Gentlemen, we have a problem!”

Act 2 opens with a satirical K-Pop boy band-style display of military precision from the Germans. “Goose-step to the left, jump to the far right..."

Bevan informs that team that Operation Mincemeat needs to happen soon, or the Allies will end up trapped in Africa.

Upbeat American pilot Willie Watkins crashes in Spain. He’s fine, but Bill’s body is also recovered, and the Spanish authorities are planning an autopsy. There’s trouble ahead if they discover his real cause of death.

Pathologist Bernard Spilsbury is revealed as a fraud despite his knighthood and honors. Getting him involved was a mistake!

Montagu tries to reassure the troupes that Operation Mincemeat is progressing as planned, but Bevan insists the whole thing be called off. However, vice consul Francis Haselden reports news of an American soldier — named William, like the corpse — who has accidentally landed in Spain.

These two short numbers are not featured on the Operation Mincemeat cast recording.

Chaos breaks out: Bevan attempts to call off the operation and Montagu takes his frustration out on Jean, ordering her to return to the clerical pool. She confides her dreams of being celebrated by the prime minister and the king to Hester, who would settle for a small plaque. Hester reminds Jean of the importance of their work, even if it goes unrecognized.

The real Hester, who was all but lost to history for years, did receive a plaque commemorating her contributions to Operation Mincemeat. It was unveiled in 2024 at the Fortune Theatre in London, where the West End production continues to run.

Montagu’s behaviour is becoming increasingly strange, and files have gone missing. It transpires that Montagu has been secreting files for the purpose of working on a film script, which he planned on delivering to his filmmaker brother Ivor. While Montagu’s colleagues aren’t happy he’s planning to profit from the operation and present himself as the hero, at least he isn’t a traitor.

Operation Mincemeat is officially a success! Montagu and Cholmondeley will receive the highest military honors, and the whole ensemble celebrates.

The Allies win World War II! In a meta number that pokes some fun at musical theatre itself, we learn of the characters' further personal and professional successes through various reprises of previous songs.

But what of Glyndwr Michael, the homeless Welsh man whose body was used to impersonate Bill Martin? It’s time for him to be remembered too.

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Photo credit: Operation Mincemeat on Broadway. (Photos by Julieta Cervantes)