This stage adaptation of John Le Carré ‘s thriller continues to play in the West End until the 21st February 2026.
London Theatre.co.uk: *** “There is much to enjoy, particularly for Le Carré aficionados, and it’s a noble effort to show that his densely detailed novels are stageable. But those unfamiliar with the source material may feel somewhat left out in the cold.”
The Reviews Hub: *** 1/2 “What Le Carré recognised, and what Eldridge’s adaptation eventually succeeds in delivering, is a world where the goal was never to win, nor even to make the other side lose. If East and West were playing chess, both were aiming for a stalemate. It is to Le Carré’s credit that this fundamentally nihilistic thesis makes for cracking reading – and, in the end, a suitably thrilling stage play.”
British Theatre Guide: “Instead of drawing flawed and compelling characters who will draw us into a plot that is supposed to be murky, it feels like the director was so terrified of any accusation of slowness or impenetrability that he lost sight of his duty to transform the ‘wooden O’ into an Iron Curtain filled with tension that would be felt without explanation.”
All That Dazzles: *** “The Spy Who Came In From The Cold is a welcome addition to the legacy of John le Carré, bringing his marvellous tales to the stage for the first time. Long-time lovers of his work will find a lot to love about this, but I wonder how much those less familiar would feel? Having not read the novel or seen the original movie before, I essentially came into this production completely cold (please forgive the pun), and I wondered if that stopped me from connecting with the story as much as I would have liked. Perhaps it is necessary to have prior knowledge to fill in some of the blanks to get more out of it. Nonetheless, this is still an enjoyable couple of hours in the theatre – while it may have been the first time a John le Carré story has hit the West End stage, I hope it’s not the last.”
Time Out: **** ” Eldridge and co make the case for the 62-year-old novel’s enduring appeal, with Keenan’s study in disillusionment crossed with dogged determination really clinching the deal. The story feels fresh because Keenan’s it feels like Leamas is really living it – those shocking final hairpin plot twists are still jaw-dropping.”
The Telegraph: *** “The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is the first play adaptation of the author’s novels. Now we know why.”
The Upcoming: **** “It’s an all-round excellently crafted show. Paying homage honourably to original work, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is everything anyone would want in a dark spy thriller: gripping, exciting and very, very clever.”
Broadway World: *** “This has still been a tale exhilaratingly told, and if it fails it fails for being too inventive in developing Smiley’s character, rather than not inventive enough. Leamas’s interiority is an issue for adaptations of this novel that needs puzzling out, but the solution is not just to have another character drily explaining his motivations.”
Everything Theatre: **** “Carré’s enthralling plot is deftly adapted for the stage by Eldridge, brought to life under Herrin’s meticulous direction, creating a captivating examination of betrayal, love and the high stakes nature of Alec’s last assignment. With a very well-cast ensemble, it is a tension filled, twisty drama culminating in a nail-biting finish.”
The Standard: **** “The audience is made complicit in a brutal interrogation scene and the subsequent showtrial. Neatly, Ramm plays Mundt’s defence lawyer as well as his nemesis Smiley, and he is unshowily good in the latter role, previously taken by Alec Guinness and Gary Oldman. Keenan banishes any lingering memories of Richard Burton in the 1965 film of this story. O’Casey, a relative newcomer, impresses as the slowly broken Liz.”
City Am: **** “Occasionally, the pace means the relationship between Leamas and Gold feels slightly rushed, and the final flurry of twists take place at a truly break-neck speed, but the result is still gripping from start-to-finish.”
The Independent: **** “John le Carré’s classic novel is cleverly adapted for the stage in this unfussy and highly effective production.”
To book tickets visit: https://sohoplace.org/shows/the-spy-who-came-in-from-the-cold/