The Spy Who Came In From The Cold theatre review: Cold War struggle
Jeremy Herrin’s adaptation delivers strong performances but lacks the theatrical dynamism to truly grip
%20Johan%20Persson.jpg)
Adaptations of John le Carré’s spy novels have regularly appeared on small and large screens for over 60 years. Think Alec Guinness and Gary Oldman as the astute George Smiley in versions of Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy or Tom Hiddleston in hit series, The Night Manager. So, it is surprising to learn that, until very recently, there has never been a major stage adaptation of one of Le Carré’s works.
Sadly, Jeremy Herrin’s production of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold, scripted by David Eldridge with the blessings of the author’s estate, is unlikely to set a precedent. Le Carré may have worked in the thriller genre, but his books are densely written and character-driven, punctuated by set pieces. Eldridge’s adaptation is too reverential to transpose the scenario to theatre with any real dynamism. The briefing scenes, in which we meet Alec Leamas (Ralf Little), the demoralised British spy who agrees to one final covert operation, are stilted and heavy on exposition, with very little in the way of dramatised action to break up the wordy back-and-forth.
The show becomes more involving in its depiction of the love affair between Leamas and Liz Gold (Gráinne Dromgoole), Alec’s co-worker and an office bearer for the Communist Party. Tensions rise in a pivotal courtyard scene and there is real jeopardy in the climactic sequence on the Berlin Wall. Yet, although Herrin’s production moves with the speedy efficiency necessary for a big touring show, the action still feels lost on the big stage at the Festival Theatre. The show’s premiere in August 2024 took place in Chichester’s 250-seater Minerva Theatre and it feels likely the whole thing would have greater immediacy in a more intimate space.
The Spy Who Came In From The Cold is touring the UK until Saturday 22 August; picture: Johan Persson.