The Cold War is heating up London’s theater district this fall as John le Carre‘s seminal spy thriller “The Spy Who Came In From the Cold” makes its historic West End premiere at @sohoplace theater. This marks the first time any of the legendary author’s novels has been adapted for the London stage.
Following a sold-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre, the production will begin performances on Nov. 17 and will run through Feb. 21, 2026.
The story follows British intelligence officer Alec Leamas, who is weary, hardened, and ready to come in from the cold. When spymaster George Smiley presents one final mission — dangerous, deceptive, and deeply personal — Leamas agrees to stay in the game. Dispatched into enemy territory, he finds his convictions tested and his defenses breached by Liz Gold, a quietly defiant librarian whose compassion threatens to thaw his frostbitten heart.
The adaptation comes from award-winning playwright David Eldridge (“Beginning,” “Middle”), with Jeremy Herrin directing fresh off his acclaimed productions of “People, Places and Things” and “Long Day’s Journey Into Night.”
“It has been a great privilege adapting John le Carré’s youthful masterpiece for the theatre,” Eldridge said. “Although set in the murky world of the cold war espionage thriller it’s a strikingly relevant story for our times.”
Rory Keenan (“Somewhere Boy,” “The Regime”) will reprise his role as the disillusioned Leamas opposite Agnes O’Casey (“Lies We Tell,” “Black Doves”) as Gold. The production will also feature John Ramm as George Smiley and Gunnar Cauthery as Hans-Dieter Mundt, with a supporting cast that includes Philip Arditti, Norma Atallah, Matt Betteridge, Ian Drysdale, Tom Kanji, and David Rubin.
Originally published in 1963, “The Spy Who Came In From the Cold” spent 32 weeks at number one on the New York Times bestseller list and was later named one of Time Magazine’s All-Time 100 Novels.
The Ink Factory and Second Half Productions, in association with Nica Burns, are presenting the production in association with Bartner and Tulchin, Monkstown and Scott Delman and David Hartford. Simon Cornwell, co-CEO and co-founder of The Ink Factory, called the adaptation “thrilling, visceral and emotionally devastating.”