Keira Knightley, Luke Thompson and Stephen Dillane on surveillance and kindness in uncertain times – The Lives of Others opens in the West End

Last night, the West End celebrated the official opening of The Lives of Others at the Adelphi Theatre.

Marking her first return to the London stage in 15 years, Academy Award nominee Keira Knightley stars as Christa-Maria Sieland alongside Bridgerton favourite and WhatsOnStage Award winner Luke Thompson (as Georg Dreyman) and Emmy Award winner Stephen Dillane (as Gerd Wiesler) in Robert Icke’s adaptation of the Oscar-winning film by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck.

Reviews are embargoed until midnight this Sunday, so be sure to check back with WhatsOnStage to read lead critic Sarach Crompton’s thoughts on the production.

At the show’s afterparty, we caught up with Knightley, Thompson and Dillane to get the full lowdown on the world premiere and you can watch all the highlights below:

The West End cast also includes Jamie Ankrah, Jake Benson, Matt Ray Brown, Lucy Doyle, Calum Finlay, Josh Gordon, Paul Higgins, Leda Hodgson, Nick Holder, Sibylla Meienberg, Irfan Shamji, Richard Sutton and Andrew Woodall,

Based on Henckel von Donnersmarck’s 2006 German-language film, the piece is adapted and directed by Icke and is scheduled to run until 9 January 2027. The film won the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film, as well as the BAFTA for Best Film Not in the English Language and awards from the European and German Film Awards, among others.

Set in East Germany in 1984, the story follows a writer and an actor placed under state surveillance by the Stasi. The officer listening to their conversations becomes increasingly involved in the lives he is observing.

The production reunites Icke with producer Sonia Friedman following their work together on Oedipus, Manhunt, Hamlet, The Doctor, Oresteia and 1984. Friedman also previously worked with Knightley on The Children’s Hour.

The creative team features set and costume designer Hildegard Bechtler, lighting designer Jon Clark, sound designer Giles Thomas, video designer Tal Yarden and original music by Max Richter. Casting is by Julia Horan.