Nicole Kidman back in London's West End | MarkMeets | Entertainment, Music, Movie, TV & London Film Premiere News

Nicole Kidman made her West End debut in David Hare’s play The Blue Room back in 1998 and now Nicole is looking forward to making her mark on new play Photograph 51 this autumn.

In her first return to the West End stage in 17 years the Oscar-winning actress plays scientist Rosalind Franklin in Photograph 51, about the pioneering team who worked towards cracking the DNA code in the Fifties.

The 48 year-old prompted headlines around the world with her last West End appearance at the Donmar Warehouse in 1998. It included a brief but much discussed nude scene.

Photograph 51 reunites her with director Michael Grandage, following their work on the film Genius about the life of American literary talent spotter and editor Max Perkins.

Franklin, a Londoner whose X-Ray images of DNA helped identify its double helix structure, was a key part of the team whose research won the Nobel Prize for James Watson, Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins in 1962, four years after her death from cancer.

The extent to which her contribution has been recognised has long been a subject of debate in academic circles.

The show, which opens this month at the Noel Coward Theatre, also stars Will Attenborough as Watson and Stephen Campbell Moore as Wilkins.

Kidman said it was a “joy to be coming back to London theatre”, adding: “When Michael sent me the play I felt honoured to portray this remarkable woman. It’s been lovely rehearsing here over the summer working with such committed actors and visiting King’s College where Rosalind did most of her research.”

The show runs until November 21st 2015.

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