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Review roundup · West End

THE LIVES OF OTHERS REVIEWS: CRITICS ON KEIRA KNIGHTLEY'S WEST END RETURN AT THE ADELPHI.

By Fitzrovia Talent ·

In brief

The production at a glance

The play is set in East Germany in 1984. The official synopsis reads: "A writer and an actor are placed under state surveillance. From the attic above their apartment, their Stasi man listens for evidence of subversion. But to observe a life is to risk changing your own." (The Lives of Others official site; British Theatre)

Icke adapts and directs, and Sonia Friedman Productions presents. The pair have previously worked together on Oedipus, Manhunt, Hamlet, The Doctor, Oresteia and 1984. Friedman has also previously worked with Knightley, on The Children's Hour. (WhatsOnStage)

Set and costume design is by Hildegard Bechtler, lighting by Jon Clark, sound by Giles Thomas, video by Tal Yarden and original music by Max Richter, with casting by Julia Horan CDG. The company also includes Jamie Ankrah, Jake Benson, Matt Ray Brown, Lucy Doyle, Calum Finlay, Josh Gordon, Paul Higgins (Grubitz), Leda Hodgson, Nick Holder (Jerska), Sibylla Meienberg, Irfan Shamji, Richard Sutton and Andrew Woodall (Hempf). (British Theatre; LondonTheatre.co.uk)

What the critics said

How the reviews landed, by outlet:

Keira Knightley's return

Knightley's casting as a celebrated actress is a talking point in most reviews. LondonTheatre.co.uk called it "inspired casting" and found her "excellent, too, as the insecure offstage Sieland". The Standard praised a "devastating scene that Knightley performs with wrenching conviction". (LondonTheatre.co.uk; The Standard)

WhatsOnStage found her "fragile, febrile and utterly convincing", and The Independent argued that "putting Keira Knightley in this role works on a deeper level", crediting her with "a brooding sulkiness that suits this conflicted, enigmatic performer". (WhatsOnStage; The Independent)

The Guardian was less convinced, writing that "She gives a committed performance, but the character feels overheated and underwritten". (The Guardian)

Stephen Dillane leads the company

If one performance unites the critics, it's Dillane's Wiesler. WhatsOnStage wrote that he "has never been better", The Standard called him "outstanding" and said "it's impossible to take your eyes off Dillane", and LondonTheatre.co.uk found him "remarkable as the lonely Wiesler". Theatre Weekly called it "a masterclass in restraint". (WhatsOnStage; The Standard; LondonTheatre.co.uk; Theatre Weekly)

Luke Thompson's Dreyman draws more varied responses. The Standard praised him for "heroically fleshing out a role somewhat lacking in colour", The Independent noted his "sweet-faced hopefulness" and WhatsOnStage found him "equally still, equally powerful", while The Guardian thought he "seems too puppyish in the role". (The Standard; The Independent; WhatsOnStage; The Guardian)

The supporting company is widely praised. WhatsOnStage called Paul Higgins "superb" as Grubitz, The Standard found Andrew Woodall "chilling" as Hempf and singled out "sterling supporting work from Calum Finlay, Irfan Shamji and Nick Holder", and The Independent said Holder fills his scene as Jerska "with righteous fire and desperate frankness". (WhatsOnStage; The Standard; The Independent)

The staging

Bechtler's revolving apartment is the design element nearly every critic mentions. Theatre Weekly suggested it is "perhaps the real star of the show", and even the Guardian, the coolest of the reviews gathered here, said the production "excels" at "raising suspense through stagecraft". theartsdesk described a camera-shutter effect in which the stage picture "is suddenly hemmed in from all sides by black blocks". (Theatre Weekly; The Guardian; theartsdesk)

Max Richter's original piano piece, played by Dreyman after his friend's death, is a turning point for Wiesler. LondonTheatre.co.uk called it "a gorgeous original piece by Max Richter", and WhatsOnStage praised Giles Thomas's soundscape for the "crackle and distortion" of the bugged conversations. (LondonTheatre.co.uk; WhatsOnStage)

What fell flat

The film's subtlety is the most common sticking point. The Guardian felt that what the film conveys "by inference and suggestion" becomes "the feverish nature of a melodrama on stage", and objected to a late TV interview scene: "It is a coda we shouldn't need." The Independent made a similar point about "an over-explained final scene". (The Guardian; The Independent)

theartsdesk found "too many ideas onstage here for comfort, and certainly too many for clarity and impact", and felt the love between Georg and Christa-Maria "feels distant". Even the five-star Standard review came with a quibble: "the insistence on theatre as a humanising and a revolutionary force verges on the irksome". (theartsdesk; The Standard)

Dates and tickets

(LondonTheatre.co.uk; British Theatre; The Lives of Others official site)

What it means for performers

The headlines are about Knightley, but the reviews keep returning to the company: Higgins, Woodall, Holder, Finlay and Shamji all get named in print, alongside a large ensemble that The Standard says suggests "how authoritarian collectivism crushes individuals". A star-led West End premiere still needs a strong bench of stage actors to work. If you're an actor looking for representation, or a casting director with a brief, get in touch with Fitzrovia Talent.

FAQ

What are the reviews like for The Lives of Others at the Adelphi? Strong but split. The Standard gave five stars, and WhatsOnStage, LondonTheatre.co.uk, Theatre Weekly and the New Statesman were enthusiastic. The Guardian, The Times and theartsdesk were cooler, mainly about the adaptation rather than the performances.

How did critics rate Keira Knightley? Mostly well. LondonTheatre.co.uk called her casting inspired, WhatsOnStage found her "fragile, febrile and utterly convincing" and The Standard praised her "wrenching conviction". The Guardian felt the character itself was underwritten.

Who plays Wiesler in The Lives of Others? Stephen Dillane, the performance critics praise most. WhatsOnStage said he "has never been better".

When does The Lives of Others close? It's a strictly limited run at the Adelphi Theatre until 9 January 2027. It officially opened on 29 October 2026 after previews from 14 October.

How long is The Lives of Others, and what is the age guidance? 2 hours 10 minutes with no interval. Age guidance is 14+, with adult themes including sexual coercion and suicide.

Who adapted and directed the play? Robert Icke, from Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck's Oscar-winning 2006 film. Sonia Friedman Productions presents.

Sources