Slater returns to the Nest

Hollywood star Christian Slater is returning to the West End to reprise his performance in hit play One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest.

He will be joined by ER's Alex Kingston. Slater, 36, first starred in Dale Wasserman's play at the Gielgud Theatre in 2004. It will now return to the Garrick Theatre from the 21st of next month.

Slater will play rebel psychiatric inmate Randle P McMurphy, while Kingston appears in the role of Nurse Ratched. It had been widely expected that Slater would return to the capital to appear in Tennessee Williams's play Sweet Bird Of Youth, possibly at the Gielgud. However, backers believe a revival of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest to be a safer bet.

Slater will be hoping for less backstage drama this time around. While at the Gielgud, his marriage ended, he contracted chicken pox and was lunged at by a knifeman although escaped injury.