REVIEW: Ralf Little shines in John le Carré’s bleak yet timeless Cold War thriller
John le Carré's Cold War espionage thriller, originally released back in 1963, has been brought to life in a stage adaptation.
It stars Ralf Little, known for ‘The Royle Family’, who takes on the role of mentally worn out spy, Alec Leamas.
Can Little pull off the role of Leamas on-stage at Sheffield’s Lyceum theatre or is it a performance that spills out of control?
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, based on John le Carré’s 1965 novel, introduces the audience to the spy Alec Leamus, a British intelligence officer who has reached the end of his tether.
After watching his agents either fall or be captured in Berlin, Leamas is tasked with a final mission...one where he has to fake defection to the enemy in order to frame a high-ranking East German officer.
What follows is a performance showing the inner turmoil of a broken man trying his best to hold it together, despite being exhausted mentally and physically.
For its maiden showing at the Lyceum, The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is a bleak set. The Berlin Wall is the backdrop throughout, which only comes to the fore in the latter part of the play. Its looming menace is an indicator of what will undoubtedly be a tragic ending.
From the outset a bike with a single wheel spinning is centre-stage, a forebear of Leamas’ top agent Riemack’s death. Once the play begins the audience has little to no time to turn its attention to what is occurring on stage.
The play is heavy with information, plot building, and laying the groundwork for the events that follow. Tension builds steadily throughout, with each twist in the story a pulse-raising escalation.
It’s interesting seeing Ralf Little showcasing his acting chops in such an intense and wearisome role. Leamas is a man on a mission, both literally and figuratively, and such a role demands such a measure and care when it comes to displaying emotion and also being able to bury it in front of the ever watchful eyes of Leamas’ foes.
Little’s Leamas is a disgraced agent, a drunk who is a shadow of himself. His inner turmoil is delivered with a wry pathos with bouts of anger, tempered only by his futile attempts to protect the woman he loves.
The only time it doesn’t land as strongly is during scenes with his love interest, Liz Gold (performed by Grainne Dromgoole). There seems to be a bit of an emotive disconnect between the two, only quite coming together during the court scene in the latter part of the play. I think much of this is down to the pacing and creative license being taken with the subject matter… it's a lot to fit into a play.
The role of Alec Leamas has been performed to great effect both in the 1964 film adaptation starring Richard Burton, and also with excellent delivery by Brian Cox in the 2009 BBC Radio 4 dramatisation. Ralf Little is following in the footsteps of screen greats, it’s intriguing to see that he is not overwhelmed by his peers and nor does he try to replicate what they have done. It’s very much his own interpretation and a very good one at that.
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is not your typical spy/espionage-fare, it’s not sexy like James Bond or stunt-packed like Mission Impossible. It is calculated, measured, careful and much like the traps being laid very specific in its delivery.
It may subvert Hollywood’s oft-framed interpretation of spycraft, it manages to depict a grounded life, lacking the glamour and allure. It exhibits a reality in the bleakness and moral turpitude of actions being taken. All while framing the elements of humanity and its failings during a time of cloak and dagger warfare.
It helps that this production has someone like Ralf Little attached to it, if only to pique curiosity as to how well a comedy actor is able to take on such an intense yet measured role. Ralf Little does this admirably. The cast as a whole is very well put together, they collectively move seamlessly in and out of scenes without a single hitch – each performance is strong and believable for the most part.
Special mention has to go to Peter Losasso’s portrayal of Mundt, Jeff D’Sanglalang’s Ashe and Tony Turner’s George Smiley, which displays subtle nods to Gary Oldman’s and Alec Guinness’ portrayal of the character without imitating either too closely.
This stage adaptation of a literary classic really is an intriguing, well-crafted, nicely-staged and ultimately effective depiction of le Carré's timeless spy craft story.
The Spy Who Came in from the Cold is currently being performed at the Lyceum, Sheffield, from May 5 - May 9, 2026.