Ed McVey and Maisie Smith will star in The Talented Mr Ripley, a stage adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s novel that will visit Richmond Theatre as part of its first ever UK tour.
McVey (The Crown) and Smith (EastEnders) will play Ripley and Marge, respectively, until the end of 2025, with further casting to be announced.
Tom Ripley is a nobody – until he’s offered an unexpected opportunity: travel to Italy and bring home the wealthy and carefree Dickie Greenleaf. But as Tom is drawn into Dickie’s glittering world of privilege, his obsession takes a dark turn. What begins as an innocent invitation spirals into a web of lies, identity theft, and murder.
Set against the sun-drenched backdrop of 1950s Italy, this gripping stage adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley brings Patricia Highsmith’s iconic novel to life in a thrilling new production. With razor-sharp dialogue, psychological intensity, and a chillingly charismatic antihero, this is Ripley as you’ve never seen him before.
The Talented Mr Ripley is a The Faction production, adapted and directed by Mark Leipacher (Mary Stuart, A Midsummer Night’s Dream).
The creative team includes set and costume design by Holly Piggott (Fleabag), associate set and costume design by Ellen Farrell, lighting design by Zeynep Kepekli (The Little Mermaid), sound design by Max Pappenheim (The Night of the Iguana) and casting by Marc Frankum (The Woman in Black).
It is produced by Jack Maple (The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Concert) and Thomas Hopkins (This Bitter Earth) with SAMS Entertainment (Our Today), Carl Moellenberg (Spring Awakening), Bryan McCaffrey (Operation Mincemeat), Jana Robbins, Kohl Beck & Jonathan Kaldor, Melissa & Bradford Coolidge, Cason Crane & Dennis Trunfio.
This year marks the 70th anniversary of Highsmith’s novel, which was also the source material for the 2000 Oscar nominated film starring Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow and the 2024 Netflix adaptation starring Andrew Scott.
The Talented Mr Ripley plays Richmond Theatre November 10-15, 2025. Tickets here.
Top image: Ed McVey and Maisie Smith (images supplied)