ONE of the most gripping theatre thrillers of recent years will be appearing locally later this month.

THE hugely successful tour of The Girl on the Train - starring Samantha Womack as Rachel Watson, is coming to Malvern’s Festival Theatre for a one week run from Monday, October 21 to Saturday, October 26.

The taut tale is based on the internationally acclaimed number one best-selling novel by Paula Hawkins and the Dreamworks film has been breaking box office records and playing to packed houses since it opened in Milton Keynes in January.

Samantha plays Rachel Watson who longs for a different life. Her only escape is the perfect couple she watches through the train window every day, happy and in love. Or so it appears.

When Rachel learns that the woman she’s been secretly watching has suddenly disappeared, she finds herself as a witness and even a suspect in a thrilling mystery in which she will face bigger revelations than she could ever have anticipated.

Samantha Womack has starred extensively in television, film and theatre. She is best known for playing Ronnie Mitchell in BBC1’s EastEnders, but other television credits include roles in Silent Witness, Mount Pleasant and the hugely popular Game On.

Her recent films include: Kingsman: The Golden Circle and Kingsman: The Secret Service alongside Colin Firth and she recently played Morticia in a tour of The Addams Family.

Samantha added: “I am absolutely loving playing Rachel on this tour. She’s such an interesting character to play, and we’ve had such a great reception from our audiences who have been gripped by Paula’s story. It’s already been the journey of a life-time and I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to take it to even more theatres across the country.’”

The current cast also includes: former Coronation Street star Oliver Farnworth as Scott, John Dougall as DI Gaskill, Naeem Hayatt as Kamal Abdic, Adam Jackson-Smith as Tom Watson, Lowenna Melrose as Anna Watson, and Kirsty Oswald as Megan Hipwell.

They are joined by Katy Allen and Matt Concannon in the ensemble. Paula Hawkins’ novel is an international phenomenon, selling over 20 million copies world-wide.