Ralf Little to star in The Spy Who Came in From The Cold

One of TV’s favourite faces will star in the critically acclaimed production of John le Carré’s best-selling spy novel, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, when it embarks on a major UK tour and plays Newcastle Theatre Royal (Tue 7 – Sat 11 Jul 2026).

Ralf Little, best known for his roles in Death in Paradise, The Royle Family and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps will star as Alec Lemas in the first ever stage adaptation of a John le Carré novel who is widely consider the master of the modern spy genre and whose works include Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy and The Night Manager.

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.”

A global bestseller for over six decades and named one of TIME Magazine’s All-Time 100 Novels, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold is a riveting journey through the fog-shrouded terrain of Cold War espionage, deception, and moral compromise.

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.

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold plays Newcastle Theatre Royal Tue 7 – Sat 11 Jul 2026. Tickets can be purchased here or from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 0191 232 7010.