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The original West End cast of The Comedy About Spies will return to London’s Adelphi Theatre for an eight-week run from 1 August to 26 September 2026, with original Mischief member Bryony Corrigan joining the company as Elena Popova.
The production, which won the WhatsOnStage Award for Best New Play and received an Olivier Award nomination for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play after a sold-out 21-week West End run in 2025, will mark the first play staged at the Adelphi Theatre in over 14 years.
The Full Company
The cast features Bryony Corrigan as Elena Popova, David Hearn as Lance Buchanan, Adele James as Rosemary Wilson, Chris Leask as Sergei Ivanov, Henry Lewis as Douglas Woodbead, Henry Shields as Bernard Wright, Greg Tannahill as Albert Tipton and Nancy Zamit as Janet Buchanan. The ensemble and understudy team comprises Macadie Amoroso, Adam Byron, Matt Cavendish, Allie Dart, Niall Ransome and Ashley Tucker.
The Show’s Return To The West End
Henry Lewis, who co-wrote the show alongside Henry Shields, spoke about the significance of the venue. “We are so excited to bring The Comedy About Spies back to the West End. It’s a particular treat to be playing the magnificent Adelphi Theatre. It’s a venue synonymous with long-running musicals and so we’re honoured that The Comedy About Spies will be the first play presented there in over 14 years.”
The plot centres on a rogue British agent who steals plans for a top-secret weapon, drawing CIA and KGB operatives to London’s Piccadilly Hotel. The story also involves a young couple, an actor pursuing the role of James Bond and a tangle of double agents.
Mischief’s Busy 2026
The company is operating across several fronts in 2026. The Play That Goes Wrong continues its West End run after 12 years, celebrated its 4,001st performance at the Duchess Theatre in London in May 2026, and is currently in its ninth year in New York. The show is also being performed in multiple languages worldwide. Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields have been listed among the top 10 most produced playwrights across North America and Canada.
Mischief has also premiered its first-ever musical, Thespians, at The Mercury Theatre in Colchester. The show features book and lyrics by Mischief Creative Director and Original Founding Member Jonathan Sayer, music and lyrics by Ed Sanders, and is directed by Robyn Grant. It is currently on a short tour, closing at HOME in Manchester in July.
Christmas And Beyond
Following a sold-out UK Tour and eight-week West End season in 2025, Christmas Carol Goes Wrong will return to the West End at Wyndham’s Theatre this Christmas. The production will also tour the UK from October 2026 to February 2027, make its North American Premiere in Los Angeles from December 2026 and play Australia in December.
Mischief will also appear at Shedinburgh Fringe in August with a new work-in-progress called We Have A Problem, written by Charlie Russell and Henry Shields.
In 2025, Mischief filmed the original casts of both The Comedy About Spies and Christmas Carol Goes Wrong, with those recordings joining the company’s digital content portfolio alongside Mischief Movie Night In and The Goes Wrong Show.
Tickets
Tickets for The Comedy About Spies are available from www.SpiesComedy.com, with prices from £15.
