British screen star Keira Knightley (Black Doves) is set to star in a major new stage adaptation of Oscar-winning Cold War spy drama The Lives of Others.
Keira Knightley will play Christa-Maria Sieland in the thriller, joined by Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson as Georg Dreyman, and Game of Thrones star Stephen Dillane as Gerd Wiesler. The new adaptation is directed by Olivier Award-winner Robert Icke (Oedipus, Romeo & Juliet).
The Lives of Others will play at the West End’s Adelphi Theatre in London from 14 October 2026 to 9 January 2027.
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A psychological thriller
Billed as a psychological surveillance thriller, Robert Icke has collaborated with Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, the writer and director of the original, acclaimed 2006 German film, to adapt the drama for the stage.
Produced in the West End by Sonia Friedman (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Stranger Things) and Winkler & Smallberg, news about the play was first announced by Baz Bamigboye in Deadline.
Joining Robert Icke in the creative team are designer Hildegard Bechtler, lighting designer Jon Clark and sound designer Giles Thomas, with original music by Max Richter.
Oscar winning film
The Lives of Others won Best International Feature Film at the 79th Academy Awards.
Set in 1984 in Cold War East Berlin, the story of The Lives of Others centres on the secret surveillance of East Berlin residents by Gerd Wiesler (Stephen Dillane), a senior agent of the Stasi, East Germany’s secret police.
As he conducts covert surveillance on playwright Georg Dreyman (Luke Thompson) and Dreyman’s girlfriend, actress Christa-Maria Sieland (Keira Knightley), he becomes disillusioned by the corrupt motives of his superiors, and begins to secretly protect the artist – even by hiding evidence of Dreyman’s dissent against the state.
Wiesler’s career is eventually destroyed by his deception. However, years later, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Dreyman discovers the truth about Wiesler’s anonymous sacrifice and dedicates his new novel to the man who once spied on him, but ultimately saved his life.
Keira Knightley, Luke Thompson & Stephen Dillane (Photos via agents)A star-studded cast
The Lives of Others will feature a stellar cast of stage and screen stars.
Keira Knightley will play Christa-Maria Sieland in the drama. Keira is best known for her work on film and TV, including the Pirates of the Caribbean film franchise, her Oscar-nominated roles in Pride & Prejudice and The Imitation Game, as well as Atonement, Love Actually and hit TV series Black Doves.
Her stage credits include Martin Crimp’s version of The Misanthrope in 2009 and Lillian Hellman’s The Children’s Hour. Keira Knightley made her Broadway debut in 2015 at Studio 54, starring in Thérèse Raquin.
Luke Thompson is Georg Dreyman. RADA-trained Thompson is best known for his role in hit Netflix series Bridgerton.
His stage work includes A Little Life, King Lear, Hamlet and Oresteia in the West End.
Stephen Dillane plays Gerd Wiesler. Dillane has enjoyed a long career on both stage and screen. His TV credits include Game of Thrones, Kaos, Sherwood, The Crown.
On stage, Dillane’s credits include work at the National Theatre, RSC, Royal Court and the Almeida. His West End credits include The Real Thing, When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other, Endgame, A Long Day’s Journey Into Night, Dancing at Lughnasa and Hamlet.
More about tickets to The Lives of Others at the Adelphi Theatre in London.
More about the Adelphi Theatre
There has been much speculation about what is coming up next at the Adelphi Theatre. Back to the Future The Musical recently closed at the venue, which will now undergo some renovations to its front-of-house and foyer areas, until July 2026.
Mischief Theatre’s The Comedy About Spies is then returning to London and playing at the Adelphi Theatre, from 1 August to 26 September 2026.
Early next year, Billy Elliot The Musical will run at the Adelphi Theatre (12 February to 31 July 2027), from the show’s original creative team including director Stephen Daldry.
Plan your visit
- Venue: Adelphi Theatre, London
- Dates: 14 October 2026 to 9 January 2027
- Starring: Keira Knightley, Luke Thompson & Stephen Dillane
- Tickets: On sale soon
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📷 Main photo: The Lives of Others – Tickets – London
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