The Girl on the Train starring Samantha Womack opens in the West End

The Girl on the Train stage adaptation has officially opened in the West End, and stars celebrated the piece's arrival with a gala performance at the Duke of York's Theatre.

The show stars Samantha Womack and is based on the novel of the same name, and was adapted into a film in 2018 with Emily Blunt taking on the lead role.

Starring alongside Womack is Alex Ferns (Detective Inspector Gaskill), Marc Elliott (Dr Kamal Abdic), Philip McGinley (Scott Hipwell), Kirsty Oswald (Megan Hipwell), Adam Jackson-Smith (Tom Watson), Lowenna Melrose (Anna Watson), Matt Concannon (ensemble) and Phillipa Flynn (ensemble).

The play follows Rachel, who watches what she thinks of as the perfect couple from the train window every day, in order to escape a life she hates. When she finds herself a witness to a possible crime, her life changes completely.

WhatsOnStage gave the play four stars when it initially ran at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, with Jill Halfpenny in the lead role. Critic James Willstrop said of the second act: "I haven't seen a more engaging, absorbing hour of theatre this year."

The Girl on the Train is adapted from the novel by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel and is directed by Anthony Banks with set and costumes by James Cotterill, lighting by Jack Knowles, sound by Ben and Max Ringham, projection design by Andrzej Goulding and fights by Alison de Burgh.

The show runs until 17 August.