Review: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Soho Place

Alec Leamas (Rory Keenan), a weathered British Intelligence agent, returns to London from his post in Berlin following the death of the last agent, Karl Reimeck (Mat Betteridge), at the order of Mundt (Gunnar Cauthery), a high-level counterintelligence officer in East Germany. Alec intends to come in from the cold for good, much to the dismay of Control (Ian Drysdale), the head of The Circus (the nickname for MI6), who has a final mission planned for him: to frame Mundt as a British spy. To do so, he must play the role of defector in order to spread disinformation within the East German ranks. As part of his cover, he is employed as a library assistant, where he meets Liz Gold (Agnes O’Casey), a communist librarian, who complicates his mission when they fall in love. 

Adaptor David Eldridge does John le Carré’s tremendous story justice, with an excellently paced, surprisingly humorous script, that weaves in and out of real time scenes and imagined, haunting conversations in Alec’s mind with George Smiley (John Ramm, also Mundt’s lawyer, Karden, in the second act’s trial), Liz and Mundtz. These moments highlight Alec’s growing disillusionment with espionage and the lack of normalcy in his life, as well as his decoding of the deception surrounding his mission. Time jumps throughout allow pacing to remain consistent and the plot easy to follow, but this does mean that Alec and Liz’s relationship feels slightly under-developed. Though the exposition is hefty, it is not overwhelming, but the second act is where the show really kicks into gear. 

Staging differs from the Chichester run. Now in the round at Soho Place, Max Jones’ stylish design features a sonar scope of Europe covering the floor, simple yet purposeful props representing each setting (a grubby futon as Alec’s squalid bedsit, a bar trolley on wheels for Smiley’s home, and a book cart representing the library) and a surprise, effective set piece rising from the stage for the play’s tragic finale. All design elements are cohesive with the overall vision; lighting design (Azusa Ono) is delightfully atmospheric, and music (composed by Paul Englishby) is suspenseful and jazz inspired.

Keenan’s commanding central performance anchors the show. His role is demanding; he is onstage for the majority of the runtime, engaging in stage fights and an intense water torture scene (one example of Lucy Cullingford’s flawless movement direction). Balancing Alec’s desire to live a normal life with Liz, with the weight of his obligation to complete his mission, Keenan gives an absorbing, complex portrayal that is deserving of praise. Jeremy Herrin’s direction of Eldridge’s script creates a hostile and intriguing protagonist; worn, critical of the old boys network within The Circus and unknowingly a pawn within a larger game orchestrated by his superiors.

Every cast member hits the mark. O’Casey’s turn as Liz is a striking breath of fresh air within Alec’s dark world of spying, though the age gap is a little hard to believe. Ramm delivers what can only be described as a masterclass in multi-roling as Smiley and Kander. 

Herrin‘s style here is slick, evoking the overall feel of a classic spy film. The space is also used to its full potential, with sightlines utilised intentionally to ensure none of the action is missed from any seat in the house.  

Carré’s enthralling plot is deftly adapted for the stage by Eldridge, brought to life under Herrin’s meticulous direction, creating a captivating examination of betrayal, love and the high stakes nature of Alec’s last assignment. With a very well-cast ensemble, it is a tension filled, twisty drama culminating in a nail-biting finish. 

Based on the book by John Le Carre
Adapted by David Eldridge
Directed by Jeremy Herrin
Production design by Max Jones
Lighting by Azusa Ono
Composed by Paul Englishby
Sound by Elizabeth Purnell
Set and costume design by Max Jones

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold runs at Soho Place theatre until Saturday 21 February.