1st Night Photos: Stars Brave West End Deathtrap

The cast of Matthew Warchus‘ revival of Deathtrap celebrated their opening night at the Noel Coward Theatre last night (7 September 2010, previews from 21 August), watched by a host of fellow actors including Sue Johnston, Patina Miller, Damian Lewis and Benedict Cumberbatch.

Simon Russell Beale stars opposite Glee‘s Jonathan Groff in Warchus’ revamped version of Ira Levin’s 1978 comic thriller, alongside Claire Skinner and Oscar-winner Estelle Parsons.

The action centres on Sidney (Russell Beale), a once-celebrated thrillers author who’s now suffering from writer’s block. While waiting for inspiration, he receives a brilliant script from one of his former writing students, Clifford (Groff). The temptation is too much. With the help of his wife, Sidney plots to murder his protégé and market the young man’s sure-fire thriller as his own. But, as in any good thriller, twists and turns follow in abundance.

TO SCROLL THROUGH ALL OF DEATHTRAP’ 1ST NIGHT PHOTOS,
JUST CLICK ON THE “NEXT >” LINKS BELOW THE FOLLOWING FRAME.
PHOTOS BY DAN WOOLLER FOR WHATSONSTAGE.COM.

First opened in 1978 in New York, Deathtrap went on to become Broadway’s longest running thriller. That same year, it premiered in London at the West End’s Garrick Theatre in a production starring Dennis Quilley and Rosemary McHale. In 1982, it was made into a film starring Michael Caine and Christopher Reeve.