Keira Knightley confirmed for new run of award-winning London play

❚ We may earn commission from links on this page. Our editorial is always independent (learn more).

Keira Knightley is returning to the stage this autumn to star in a major new adaptation of Oscar-winning drama The Lives of Others.

The Black Doves actress is leading the production alongside Bridgerton's Luke Thompson and Game of Thrones' Stephen Dillane at London's Adelphi Theatre this October.

Set in 80's East Germany, the show is a psychological thriller that centres on the secret surveillance of East Berlin residents by Gerd Wiesler, an agent of the secret police the Stasi.

The synopsis reads: "Listening changes everything. 1984. East Germany. 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 story was originally brought to life in Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s German language film, released in 2006. It won numerous awards including the Oscar for Best International Film and the BAFTA for Best Film Not in the English Language.

Now, it's being brought to the West End with the help of director Robert Icke and producer Sonia Friedman, who said: "I’ve been obsessed with The Lives of Others ever since I first saw it - Florian von Donnersmarck’s exquisite, haunting, and completely masterful film, and there is no one better than Robert Icke to bring this to life onstage. He has this rare ability to combine huge ideas with real emotional truth, and I know he and the company will find a way to realise it that feels both unexpected and completely thrilling.

Keira Knightley, Luke Thompson and Stephen Dillaine in Lives of Others poster

“Set in East Berlin in 1984 - a world where nothing is private, every word carries consequence, and the state holds power not just over lives, but over thought, speech and imagination itself, this world premiere is a reminder of how fragile those freedoms are, and of the cost and courage required to hold on to them.

“What I love most about it is that it’s both epic and intimate - incredibly beautiful, sad, and deeply moving - and at its heart, it’s an unlikely story about kindness. A story about connection and compassion in the most unexpected places.

“To have a company led by Keira Knightley, Luke Thompson and Stephen Dillane at the Adelphi Theatre this autumn makes it all the more special. And in an extraordinary coup, we’re incredibly excited that Max Richter will be composing new music for the production. Max is one of the great composers of our time, and his work has a depth and emotional truth that has the potential to break our hearts.

“I really can’t wait to share it with audiences.”