Next week, Oxford Playhouse invites you in to the intoxicating world of Tom Ripley as we present a brand-new stage adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s iconic novel, The Talented Mr Ripley.

Opening on Monday, the psychological thriller is brought to life on stage by writer and director Mark Leipacher.

"It's very much the novel on stage, and anyone who comes along is in for an edge-of-the-seat ride. Previous adaptations have made various changes, but what we're doing is honouring the origins of the character, which will please people who know and love the book. Then for those people who are coming to it fresh, they'll find themselves in the company of an incredibly fascinating and captivating anti-hero."

Said anti-hero, Tom Ripley, is played by actor Ed McVey, best known for his performance as Prince William in Netflix's The Crown, alongside the likes of Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce and Dominic West. As he gets ready to step into Ripley's fascinating world on the Oxford stage, McVey told us what he has learnt about the character.

"He is a product of his past. He had a very hard time growing up and hasn't been dealt all the best cards. He's someone who just wants a better life for himself, which I think many people can relate to. Most people can't relate to Tom's methods, of course. I certainly can't, although I do connect with the idea of being a dreamer and wanting the best for yourself."

Playing opposite McVey as Marge Sherwood, is EastEnders star Maisie Smith.

"She's very smart, she's creative and I'd say she's intuitive too because she's probably one of the only people who suspects that Tom Ripley is twisted. Everyone else is completely involved in his lie, but Marge sees through it."

On directing the two stars of The Talented Mr. Ripley, Leipacher said:

"They're both fantastic. Ed is incredibly talented and his facility for the technical requirements of the role is extraordinary, because Ripley doesn't leave the stage except during the interval. And what's great about Maisie is that she really understands the character of Marge and what it means to have agency as a woman in the 1950s."

The pair will be joined on stage by Bruce Herbelin-Earle (Free Reign, Netflix; The Boys in the Boat, Warner Bros) who plays Dickie Greenleaf, Christopher Bianchi as Herbert Greenleaf/Roverini, Cary Crankson as Freddie Miles/Alvin McCarron, Leda as Cleo/Dottie, and Jason Eddy as Peter/Fausto. The cast is completed by Lachlan McCall, Hollie Sullivan, and Aldous Ciokajlo-Squire.

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 is packed full of razor-sharp dialogue and psychological intensity. This is Ripley as you’ve never seen him before.

This year marks the seventieth anniversary of Highsmith’s gripping novel, which inspired the Oscar-nominated film starring Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow, as well as the 2024 Netflix adaptation starring Andrew Scott.

The production is adapted and directed by Mark Leipacher, with set and costume design by Holly Pigott (Fleabag, Wyndham’s Theatre), associate set and costume design by Ellen Farrell, lighting design by Zeynep Kepekli (The Little Mermaid, Bristol Old Vic), sound design by Max Pappenheim (The Night of the Iguana, Noel Coward Theatre) and casting by Marc Frankum CDG (The Woman in Black, Fortune Theatre).

The Talented Mr Ripley is produced by Jack Maple and Thomas Hopkins and created by The Faction (Macbeth, Stephen Joseph Theatre; My Last Duchess, film commissioned by The Lowry).

Jack Maple is an Oxfordshire-based producer and is delighted to bring the production to his local theatre, where he attended the widely popular Oxford Playhouse pantomime whilst growing up in the area.