The Spy Who Came in from the Cold to tour in 2026

The stage version of John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in from the Cold will embark on a major UK tour in 2026.

Adapted for the stage by David Eldridge and directed by Jeremy Herrin, the production will open at Leicester Curve on 12 March 2026 before visiting 21 venues across the UK through to August.

The tour follows a 14-week West End run at @sohoplace from 17 November 2025 to 21 February 2026.

Based on le Carré’s bestselling Cold War novel, the play follows British intelligence officer Alec Leamas, who is persuaded by George Smiley to take on one final mission in East Berlin. There he encounters Liz Gold, a librarian whose compassion forces him to confront questions of love, betrayal and moral compromise.

The novel, named by Time Magazine as one of the All-Time 100 Novels, has been in print for over six decades but this marks the first time any of le Carré’s works has been adapted for the stage.

The creative team includes designer Max Jones, lighting designer Azusa Ono, sound designer Elizabeth Purnell, composer Paul Englishby and movement director Lucy Cullingford. General Management is by Second Half Productions with Melting Pot as executive producer for the UK tour.

Speaking about the production, Eldridge said: “It has been a great privilege adapting John le Carré’s youthful masterpiece for the theatre, and it gives me great pleasure that after the play’s West End run this autumn-winter season, we’re able to share the play with audiences across the UK on tour.”

Herrin added: “Rapt full houses in Chichester told us that John le Carré’s hit novel translates meaningfully to the stage and so I am delighted that we are bringing The Spy Who Came in From the Cold to audiences around the UK next year, following the production’s West End premiere.”

The UK tour will begin at Leicester Curve from 12 to 14 March 2026 before visiting Malvern, Bromley, Woking, Cheltenham, Edinburgh, Cardiff, Sheffield, Liverpool, Richmond, Glasgow, Brighton, York, Norwich, Nottingham, Birmingham, Newcastle, Milton Keynes, Salford, Cambridge and Bath. The full schedule is:

Leicester Curve Theatre (12 to 14 March), Malvern Theatres (18 to 21 March), Churchill Theatre Bromley (24 to 28 March), New Victoria Theatre Woking (31 March to 4 April), Everyman Theatre Cheltenham (14 to 18 April), Edinburgh Festival Theatre (21 to 25 April), Wales Millennium Centre (28 April to 2 May), Sheffield Lyceum (5 to 9 May), Liverpool Playhouse (12 to 16 May), Richmond Theatre (19 to 23 May), Theatre Royal Glasgow (26 to 30 May), Theatre Royal Brighton (2 to 6 June), York Grand Opera House (9 to 13 June), Norwich Theatre Royal (16 to 20 June), Nottingham Theatre Royal (23 to 27 June), The Alexandra Birmingham (30 June to 4 July), Newcastle Theatre Royal (7 to 11 July), Milton Keynes Theatre (14 to 18 July), The Lowry, Salford (23 to 25 July), Cambridge Arts (28 July to 1 August) and Bath Theatre Royal (11 to 22 August).

Casting for the tour is yet to be announced.