Former British intelligence officer Matthew Dunn is set to bring a unique interactive espionage experience to the stage with his new production, *Operation MI6*. The show, which opens next month at the Grand Theatre in Wolverhampton before embarking on a tour and planning a West End run next year, invites audiences to participate in foiling a fictional terrorist plot in real time.

Dunn, 57, who spent many years working undercover for MI6 in various global hotspots including Iran and Russia, said the production transforms theatres into a simulated MI6 command centre. Attendees will view real-time footage such as CCTV and drone images as part of a suspenseful narrative centered on preventing an assassination attempt on a VIP in Prague. The scenario is positioned as having severe implications for Europe’s major powers, including the UK, France, and Germany.

In the production, the audience is tasked with making critical decisions under timed conditions, using multiple-choice questions to navigate evolving threats. Dunn emphasized the global nature of MI6 operations as a reason for setting the story outside the UK, noting that if the scenario took place in Britain it would fall under the jurisdiction of MI5 rather than MI6.

Dunn, who is a Stratford-upon-Avon resident and father of two, is a published author of more than a dozen espionage novels drawn from his real-world intelligence experience. He holds a PhD in international relations from Cambridge and joined MI6 in 1996 after being recruited during his university years. In his intelligence career, he operated with up to 14 different aliases, often posing as a business executive given his physical stature and presence.

While reluctant to publicly prove his intelligence background due to the Official Secrets Act, Dunn said his publishers and media outlets have independently verified his credentials. He described a cooperative relationship with MI6 during his publishing career, including pre-publication clearances with service officials.

The show also aims to demystify certain aspects of spycraft. Dunn expressed a pragmatic view on the stereotypical reliance on gadgets popularized in fiction, acknowledging a "Q department" existed within MI6 but noting that equipment often malfunctioned in the field. He stressed the importance of human intuition and situational awareness in intelligence work.

Reflecting on his career, Dunn described moments of high-risk operations where his life was in genuine danger but maintained that fear was often secondary to the mission’s objectives. He also hopes that former colleagues will attend the production, believing it portrays the moral complexities and challenges faced by intelligence operatives without sensationalism.

*Operation MI6* seeks to offer audiences an immersive insight into the realities of intelligence work, combining suspense, education, and participation in a format that promises to engage both espionage enthusiasts and general theatre-goers alike.