Ralf Little to star in UK tour of THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD
Photo credit: Michael Wharley
Lead casting has been announced for the extensive UK-wide tour of John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, which kicks off at Curve Leicester on 12 March.
Ralf Little (Death in Paradise, God of Carnage, The Royle Family) will play disillusioned British intelligence officer Alec Leamas in the Chichester Festival Theatre production, with further casting for the touring production to be announced shortly.
Adapted for the stage by award-winning playwright and screenwriter David Eldridge, this is the first novel by le Carré - the undisputed master of the modern spy genre, whose works include Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and The Night Manager - to be brought to life on stage. Jeremy Herrin will direct, alongside tour director Joe Lichtenstein.
Following its 2024 sold out premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold received its West End premiere @sohoplace in November 2025 and its final performance will be on 21 February. The role of Alec Leamas was originated by Rory Keenan who is currently performing in the West End production.
British intelligence officer Alec Leamas is weary, hardened, and ready to come in from the cold. But when spymaster George Smiley presents one final mission — dangerous, deceptive, and deeply personal — Leamas agrees to stay in the game. Dispatched into enemy territory, he finds his convictions tested and his defences breached by Liz Gold, a quietly defiant librarian whose compassion threatens to thaw his frostbitten heart.
Ralf Little said: "It is a huge privilege to be stepping into the shoes of one of John le Carré's great literary creations, Alec Leamas as we bring the murky world of his Cold War masterpiece to life on stage. I first read The Spy Who Came in From the Cold when I was 16 and it has stayed with me ever since. Reading David Eldridge's brilliant script, I once again found myself drawn into the story's unexpected twists and turns, its high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse between East and West, which David has captured so thrillingly in the play. Despite being written in the 60s it feels startlingly relevant to the times we are living in now. I can't wait to share this story with audiences old and new as we take it to cities right across the UK."
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold is designed by Max Jones, with lighting by Azusa Ono, sound by Elizabeth Purnell, composition by Paul Englishby, and movement direction by Lucy Cullingford.
To book tickets for The Spy Who Came In From The Cold at select touring venues, please click here.