During 1957 Helpmann played the title role in Jean-Paul Sartre's "Nekrassov", and then took over the lead part of Sebastien in Coward's comedy "Nude with Violin" in London. The role had been created by John Gielgud, who had been succeeded, not altogether satisfactorily, by Michael Wilding. Helpmann's vitality revived the spirits of the company, and the play continued its run into the following year. Helpmann toured Australia in the piece in 1958–59, after he had returned to ballet for a season at Covent Garden in "The Rake's Progress", "Hamlet", "Coppélia", "Miracle in the Gorbals" and "Petrushka". His performance in the last of these was not well received: in the role of a lovelorn puppet, he was seen as too overtly human and intelligent.