VIPs attend the opening night of Accidental Death of an Anarchist at Theatre Royal Haymarket

The West End transfer of Daniel Raggett’s revival of Accidental Death of An Anarchist officially opened at Theatre Royal Haymarket last night.

A plethora of stagey names were in attendance to support the production and its associated charity, Inquest, which provides help for relatives of those who have died in police or prison custody.

Tom Basden’s adaptation of Dario Fo’s classic farce has been given a contemporary twist, with a sharp commentary on the incompetence and corruption of the police force. It previously ran earlier this year at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre.

The cast is led by Daniel Rigby, who reprises the central role of The Maniac, and Tony Gardner as Superintendent Curry, alongside Tom Andrews as Detective Daisy, Mark Hadfield as Inspector Burton, Ro Kumar as Agent Joseph, and Ruby Thomas as Fi Phelan/PC Jackson. Joe Boylan, Georgina Hellier and Richard Hodder serve as understudies.

The piece explores the story of an anarchist who falls to his death from a police station window. As the police scramble to avoid another scandal, a mysterious imposter is brought in for questioning. With an opportunity to put on a show, he leads the officers in an absurd reconstruction of their official account, revealing the cover-ups and idiocy at the heart of the police.

Accidental Death of An Anarchist runs at Theatre Royal Haymarket until 9 September, with tickets on sale below.