The Spy Who Came in from the Cold at Soho Place

John le Carré’s genre-defining Cold War espionage novel, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, finds new life as a new show that ticks all the boxes.

Alec Leamas is running a British spy operation in East Germany until his last undercover agent is discovered and killed by the opposing side. He heads back to London, ready to pack it all in when Control asks him for one last mission before he can truly come in from the cold.

Leamas is to play the role of a drunk, upset over the death of his friend and ready to betray his country, handing false information to the enemy to get them to kill one of their own.

The plot moves at a thrilling pace, hitting all the classic le Carré notes. There’s the gritty reality of spying, as opposed to more fantastical, glamorous works. It bounces around moral relativism: “Intelligence work has one moral law – it is justified by results.” And it weaves an intelligent tapestry of clues, letting the audience know that all is not as simple as it seems and something else is afoot.

Rory Keenan plays Leamas fantastically, bringing large helpings of both mystery and gravitas to the role. Agnes O’Casey also shines as love interest Liz Gold. There’s really very little fault in any of the cast, who immediately feel like a set of heavyweight performers.

The stage is almost bare, save for a beautifully designed Cold War map that adorns the floor. Occasionally, a simple chair or table is brought in, but very little is needed save for the cast themselves, adding beautifully to the dark and lonely feel of le Carré’s world.

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.

Jim Compton-Hall
Photos: Johan Persson

The Spy Who Came in From the Cold is at Soho Place from 26^th November 2025 until 21^st February 2026. For further information or to book, visit the theatre’s website here.