Ralf Little is swapping the sun-soaked beaches of Saint Marie for the tense espionage of Cold War Europe in his latest role. The actor, best known for playing DI Neville Parker in Death in Paradise, will take on the part of Alec Leamas in a new stage adaptation of John le Carré's classic 1963 novel, The Spy Who Came In from the Cold.
The story follows Leamas, a disillusioned British intelligence officer, as he is given one final dangerous mission. Tasked with infiltrating a unit in East Germany, he soon realises the operation is far more complicated than it first appears. According to the production's logline, spymaster George Smiley presents Leamas with a mission that is 'dangerous, deceptive, and deeply personal', leading him into enemy territory where his convictions are tested by Liz Gold, a quietly defiant librarian.
Little, who also starred in The Royle Family, said in a statement: '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.' He added that he first read the novel at 16 and it has stayed with him ever since, noting the story's 'unexpected twists and turns' and its 'high-stakes game of cat-and-mouse between East and West'.
The actor said the 1960s story feels 'startlingly relevant' to today, and expressed excitement about taking the production to audiences across the UK. The play has been written by David Eldridge and directed by Jeremy Herrin. It begins at Leicester's Curve Theatre on 12 March, with subsequent stops including Edinburgh and Sheffield, before concluding at Bath Theatre Royal on 22 August.
The novel was previously adapted for the screen in 1965, with Richard Burton winning a BAFTA for his portrayal of Alec Leamas. An upcoming television series, Legacy of Spies, starring Matthew Macfadyen and Charlie Hunnam, is also set to adapt the book.
