The Spy Who Came In From The Cold at the Everyman Cheltenham
A landmark Cold War thriller makes its Cheltenham debut in April 2026
The critically acclaimed stage adaptation of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold comes to the Everyman Theatre Cheltenham from 14 to 18 April 2026 as part of a major UK tour.
A global bestseller for more than six decades, the novel by John le Carré revolutionised the modern espionage genre with its stark realism and moral ambiguity. This production marks the first time the story has been adapted for the stage, bringing its tense psychological drama and emotional depth to live audiences.
Adapted by award-winning playwright David Eldridge and directed by Jeremy Herrin, the production follows a sold-out premiere at Chichester Festival Theatre and a 14-week West End run at @sohoplace, before embarking on its first nationwide tour in 2026.
The story centres on British intelligence officer Alec Leamas, weary, hardened, and determined to escape the brutal world of espionage. Persuaded into one final mission by spymaster George Smiley, Leamas is drawn back into a dangerous web of deception, betrayal, and manipulation, where personal conviction is sacrificed in the name of political necessity.
Dispatched into enemy territory, Leamas finds his emotional defences challenged by Liz Gold, a quietly defiant librarian whose humanity threatens to expose the true cost of the intelligence war being waged on both sides. As loyalties blur and moral certainties collapse, the story delivers a devastating examination of truth, power, and survival.
Named one of TIME Magazine’s All-Time 100 Novels, The Spy Who Came In From The Cold remains strikingly relevant, offering a chilling reflection on compromise and conscience that resonates as strongly today as it did on first publication.
> The Spy Who Came In From The Cold at The Everyman Theatre Cheltenham | BOOK TICKETS TODAY
Explore Gloucestershire
2 February 2026
For further information.
OTHER NEWS
