James Norton cosies up to his fiancée Imogen Poots at A Little Life press night - while Dua Lipa makes a low-key exit after the event
James Norton cosied up to his fiancée Imogen Poots at A Little Life press night at the Ham Yard Hotel in London on Thursday night.
The Happy Valley actor, 37, is starring in the much-anticipated West End adaptation of cult novel and was centre stage at an evening to celebrate the show.
He looked as loved-up as ever with actress and model, 33, who proudly supported him at the press night.
Elsewhere singer Dua Lipa, 27, made a low-key exit from the event in the rain wearing a smart navy jacket and was bundled into a taxi home.
For his big night James looked dapper in a black and white cardigan, roll neck, smart trousers and accessorised with silver necklaces.
![Love: James Norton cosied up to his fiancée Imogen Poots at A Little Life press night at the Ham Yard Hotel in London on Thursday night](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312677-0-image-a-153_1680218230408.jpg)
Love: James Norton cosied up to his fiancée Imogen Poots at A Little Life press night at the Ham Yard Hotel in London on Thursday night
![Off she goes: Elsewhere singer Dua Lipa, 27, made a low-key exit from the event in the rain wearing a smart navy jacket and was bundled into a taxi home](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312689-0-image-m-155_1680218716135.jpg)
Off she goes: Elsewhere singer Dua Lipa, 27, made a low-key exit from the event in the rain wearing a smart navy jacket and was bundled into a taxi home
Beside him Imogen stood out from the crowd in a red and blue striped shirt and baggy black trousers.
She wore her blonde tresses in loose waves over her shoulders and opted for glowing makeup complete with a slick of bright red lip.
A Little Life has left preview audiences traumatised by its graphic on-stage portrayals of suicide, self-harm and paedophilia.
One attendee at Richmond Theatre, where the stage re-telling of Hanya Yanagihara's 2015 book opened on Tuesday, said they made the decision to leave at the interval after the 'relentless misery' became too much for them.
Another audience member called the adaptation, brought to stage by director Ivo Van Hove, 'possibly the most upsetting, unflinchingly brutal and explicit play I've ever seen.'
The performance, which lasts a whopping 3 hours and 40 minutes and will soon transfer to the Savoy Theatre, has a star-studded cast, including James, It's A Sin actor Omari Douglas and Bridgerton's Luke Thompson.
The book, shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2015, became a word-of-mouth hit and won the author a following of dedicated fans.
The novel is 814 pages long and follows four classmates from a small US college who move to New York and their relationships with one another, as well as complex issues including sexual abuse, disability and addiction.
![Cute: The Happy Valley actor, 37, is starring in the much-anticipated West End adaptation of cult novel and was centre stage at an evening to celebrate the show](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312665-0-image-a-156_1680218730807.jpg)
Cute: The Happy Valley actor, 37, is starring in the much-anticipated West End adaptation of cult novel and was centre stage at an evening to celebrate the show
![Couple: He looked as loved-up as ever with actress and model, 33, who proudly supported him at the press night](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312675-0-image-a-157_1680218737282.jpg)
Couple: He looked as loved-up as ever with actress and model, 33, who proudly supported him at the press night
![The look: For his big night James looked dapper in a black and white cardigan](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312709-0-image-a-164_1680218766790.jpg)
![Outfit: He accessorised with silver necklaces](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312711-0-image-m-163_1680218760983.jpg)
The look: For his big night James looked dapper in a black and white cardigan, roll neck, smart trousers and accessorised with silver necklaces
![Reaction: A Little Life has left preview audiences traumatised by its graphic on-stage portrayals of suicide, self-harm and paedophilia](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312707-0-image-a-165_1680218771247.jpg)
Reaction: A Little Life has left preview audiences traumatised by its graphic on-stage portrayals of suicide, self-harm and paedophilia
![Show: The performance, which lasts a whopping 3 hours and 40 minutes and will soon transfer to the Savoy Theatre](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312713-0-image-a-166_1680218775128.jpg)
Show: The performance, which lasts a whopping 3 hours and 40 minutes and will soon transfer to the Savoy Theatre
![Difficult: One attendee at Richmond Theatre, where the stage re-telling of Hanya Yanagihara's 2015 book opened on Tuesday, said they made the decision to leave at the interval after the 'relentless misery' became too much for them](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312703-0-image-a-171_1680218790621.jpg)
Difficult: One attendee at Richmond Theatre, where the stage re-telling of Hanya Yanagihara's 2015 book opened on Tuesday, said they made the decision to leave at the interval after the 'relentless misery' became too much for them
![Audience: After attending early performances this week, fans of the play took to social media to express their shock at just how 'raw' the production is](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312673-0-image-a-173_1680218798024.jpg)
Audience: After attending early performances this week, fans of the play took to social media to express their shock at just how 'raw' the production is
![Posing up a storm: He looked great in the quirky cardigan while in front of the cameras](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312667-0-image-a-174_1680218802073.jpg)
Posing up a storm: He looked great in the quirky cardigan while in front of the cameras
![Style: Beside him Imogen stood out from the crowd in a red and blue striped shirt and baggy black trousers](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312669-0-image-a-175_1680218804676.jpg)
Style: Beside him Imogen stood out from the crowd in a red and blue striped shirt and baggy black trousers
![Oh no: The actor, who's a Type 1 diabetic, told The Graham Norton Show in November that the play, at 3 hours 40 minutes, is so long he has to eat on stage to keep his blood sugar levels stable](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312671-0-image-a-176_1680218807208.jpg)
Oh no: The actor, who's a Type 1 diabetic, told The Graham Norton Show in November that the play, at 3 hours 40 minutes, is so long he has to eat on stage to keep his blood sugar levels stable
After attending early performances this week, fans of the play took to social media to express their shock at just how 'raw' the production is.
One wrote: '#Only made it to the interval of 'A Little Life'. 1 hour 50' of relentless misery was more than enough for me....(I gather it didn't end 'happily') #Alittlelifeplay.'
A fellow audience member wrote: '#ALittleLifePlay is brutal. Relentlessly brutal. But also brilliant theatre. The entire cast shines. But it's James Norton who is the powerhouse. Barely off stage for more than 3.5 hours, this may be his best work. Award winning stuff. But not for the faint hearted!'
Another added: 'Possibly the most upsetting, unflinchingly brutal and explicit play I've ever seen which is definitely not for the faint of heart. The entire cast soars and James Norton is an absolute powerhouse in this heartbreaking epic.'
One theatregoer penned on Twitter: 'It feels wrong to say you enjoyed something when the content is so raw & difficult, but I am extremely glad I got to see this masterpiece brought to life in such a thoughtful way.'
The novel became a critically acclaimed bestseller, with celebrity fans including Dua who said the book 'changed her life' on her podcast.
![Attendees: The novel became a critically acclaimed bestseller, with celebrity fans including Dua (pictured) who said the book 'changed her life' on her podcast](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312681-0-image-a-172_1680218795611.jpg)
Attendees: The novel became a critically acclaimed bestseller, with celebrity fans including Dua (pictured) who said the book 'changed her life' on her podcast
![Out and about: Under her blue coat she wore a purple top that was teamed with black trousers and chunky shoes](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312683-0-image-a-170_1680218787582.jpg)
Out and about: Under her blue coat she wore a purple top that was teamed with black trousers and chunky shoes
![Heading home: She wore her long dark tresses in loose waves over her shoulders and opted for bronzed makeup](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312687-0-image-a-169_1680218784804.jpg)
Heading home: She wore her long dark tresses in loose waves over her shoulders and opted for bronzed makeup
![Career: James Norton hasn't shied away from demanding roles - the actor was acclaimed for playing Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley, but this is likely to be one of the star's toughest acting challenges yet](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312685-0-image-a-168_1680218783315.jpg)
Career: James Norton hasn't shied away from demanding roles - the actor was acclaimed for playing Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley, but this is likely to be one of the star's toughest acting challenges yet
![Weather: The rain was pouring down in London on Thursday night as Dua made her low-key exit](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/03/31/00/69312679-0-image-a-167_1680218780692.jpg)
Weather: The rain was pouring down in London on Thursday night as Dua made her low-key exit
James Norton hasn't shied away from demanding roles - the actor was acclaimed for playing Tommy Lee Royce in Happy Valley, but this is likely to be one of the star's toughest acting challenges yet.
The actor, who's a Type 1 diabetic, told The Graham Norton Show in November that the play, at 3 hours 40 minutes, is so long he has to eat on stage to keep his blood sugar levels stable.
He told Norton: 'The added component is that I don't leave the stage for a couple of hours and I am a type 1 diabetic, so I have juice, and I can't bring it up because it's got branding on it!
'But I have sweet things which I'll have to have scattered around the stage just in case I go hypoglycaemic.'
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