Ralf Little to star in the UK tour of The Spy Who Came in From the Cold

The critically acclaimed production of John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came In From The Cold will embark on a major UK tour beginning at Curve Leicester on the 12 March 2026 and continuing through to August 2026. 

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 Ink Factory and Second Half Productions have today announced lead casting for the extensive UK-wide tour of John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came in From the Cold. 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 which will open at Curve Leicester on the 12 March 2026, and continue through to August 2026. Further casting for the touring production will be announced shortly.

Adapted for the stage by award-winning playwright and screenwriter David Eldridge (Festen, End) 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 (Grace Pervades, People, Places and Things and Long Day’s Journey into Night), 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 2026. The role of Alec Leamas was originated by Rory Keenan who is currently performing in the West End production.

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. 

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, is designed by Max Jones with lighting design by Azusa Ono, sound design by Elizabeth Purnell, composition by Paul Englishby, and movement direction by Lucy Cullingford. General Management is by Second Half Productions with Melting Pot as Executive Producer for the UK Tour.

The Chichester Festival Theatre production of John le Carré’s The Spy Who Came In From the Cold, is produced by The Ink Factory and Second Half Productions

The tour will visit twenty-one different venues throughout the UK. Tickets are available from spyonstage.com/tour.