This is the musical theatre debut from SpitLip – David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson & Zoe Roberts – a bonkers but brilliant show set during World War II, which tells the story of a secret mission that changed the course of that war. Hugely inventive, eclectic musical styles, superbly staged, a terrific ensemble and it’s a hoot.
The plot revolves around misinformation, leaking fake British plans that convince the Nazi’s to change theirs, but in the most convoluted way that involves a submarine, a dead body and a visit to Spain, with a possible double-agent and a film script to add another layer. The music, and there’s a lot of it, is a selection of different contemporary styles with an onstage trio of keyboards, bass and drums under MD Felix Hagan. Helen Coyson’s design, Sherry Coenen’s lighting and Dan Balfour’s sound add up to outstanding fringe production values.
The five performers – the three writers plus Jak Malone & Rory Furey-King – use a very broad comic-book performance style which is extremely funny and suits the tongue-in-cheek, gently satirical material. They sing superbly too; some of the numbers, notably the Nazi chorus that opens the second half, choreographed really well. It could do with losing ten or fifteen minutes, but otherwise it zips along and sweeps you up with its manic charm, right up to it’s well-deserved standing ovation.
Another great new small-scale British musical; our cups currently runneth over.
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