Red poster for "The Spy Who Came in from the Cold," the classic John le Carré spy novel, with two figures walking and a bicycle, featuring credits for David Eldridge and Jeremy Herrin.

A man in a suit and glasses stands on a metal balcony, illuminated by a bright spotlight, evoking the tense atmosphere of The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, with a corrugated metal structure and windows behind him.

A person with a bicycle stands on a stage under dramatic lighting, evoking the suspense of a spy novel, while another person sits at a desk in the background.

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

Tue 21 - Sat 25 Apr 2026

Venue: Festival Theatre

For the first time ever, a novel by John le Carré — the undisputed master of the modern spy genre — is brought to life in a thrilling stage adaptation.

The spy novel that changed everything

Based on the worldwide bestseller and named in TIME Magazine’s All-Time Greatest 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.  

Disillusioned British intelligence officer Alec Leamas is ready to come in from the cold — until veteran agent George Smiley persuades him to take one final mission against the East German Secret Service. Deep undercover, he finds his convictions tested and his defences breached by Liz Gold, a quietly defiant librarian whose compassion threatens to thaw his frostbitten heart.

Following a sold-out run at Chichester Festival Theatre and a hit West End premiere, this gripping new play written by David Eldridge (Beginning, Middle) and directed by Jeremy Herrin (A Mirror, People, Places & Things) comes to Edinburgh for one week only. 