THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD To Embark On UK Tour In 2026

The Ink Factory and Second Half Productions will present the Chichester Festival Theatre production of John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came In From The Cold on a major UK tour in 2026. Tickets are available now.

Adapted for the stage for the first time by award-winning playwright David Eldridge (Festen, Beginning), The Spy Who Came In From The Cold is directed by Jeremy Herrin (People, Places and Things; Wolf Hall). The creative team also features design by Max Jones, lighting by Azusa Ono, sound by Elizabeth Purnell, composition by Paul Englishby, and movement direction by Lucy Cullingford. Casting for the UK tour will be announced soon.

Based on John le Carré’s groundbreaking Cold War novel, the story follows weary British intelligence officer Alec Leamas, who is offered one last mission by spymaster George Smiley. Sent into enemy territory, Leamas must navigate a dangerous world of deception, loyalty, and betrayal, where his defenses are tested by the compassion of Liz Gold, a young librarian who threatens to thaw his frostbitten heart.

Published in 1963, le Carré’s The Spy Who Came In From The Cold became a global bestseller and was named one of TIME Magazine’s All-Time 100 Novels. The stage adaptation offers a gripping and timely exploration of espionage, morality, and the personal cost of war.

David Eldridge said, “It has been a great privilege adapting John le Carré's youthful masterpiece for the theatre. Although set in the murky world of the Cold War, it is a strikingly relevant story for our times, asking how one can retain humanity and morality while operating with the same brutality as an enemy.”

Jeremy Herrin added, “Rapt full houses in Chichester told us that John le Carré’s hit novel translates powerfully to the stage, and I am delighted that we will share this thrilling production with audiences across the UK.”