The Talented Mr Ripley
Some stories work for film and some work for the stage, and if you are lucky, they work for both. It appears to be a growing but very “marmite” genre for the stage, you love it or hate it, there doesn’t seem to be any middle ground. However, the key to a successful adaptation seems to be making it something of its own whilst capturing the key elements of the already seen film that may have attracted fans to the theatre, rather than a verbatim copy of the film “in real life.”
The original story of The Talented Mr. Ripley was written by Patricia Highsmith and published in the form of a novel in 1955, the era in which the story is set, with the film following in 1999. This current adaptation does seem to keep the balance of the familiar and the reinvented enough to keep the audience engaged throughout and holds the anticipation of what’s to come.
The story itself is centred around Tom Ripley. A nobody. Someone who scrapes his way through life by forging signatures and telling half-truths. A wealthy stranger approaches him one night in a bar and offers him an all expenses trip to Italy in return for him searching for the strangers’ son, Dickie Greenleaf, and convincing him to come home. Tom, of course, jumps at this opportunity.
Surrounded by blazing sun and shimmering waters, Tom becomes seduced by Dickie’s lifestyle and becomes obsessed with having the freedom, the money, and the charm that Dickie has. Truth and deception begin to blur into one and what once began as a lucky opportunity turns into a game of identity theft, murder, and the internal thoughts of a psychopath.
Directed by Mark Leipacher, (who has also adapted this production for the stage), the scenes are easy to follow with some clever use of props rather than physical set to transport us to various locations. Most of the scenes are played out on a raised square frame, centre stage, with cast members entering and exciting through the centre as well as each side, which adds to the unpredictability of the storyline.
Ed McVey plays Tom Ripley, his portrayal is naturally chilling, and we become wrapped up in his actions and his state of mind immediately. Maisie Smith supports as Marge Sherwood, Dickie’s girlfriend, her performance is strong, and we immediately feel for her character as she tries to befriend Ripley, but so obviously takes a strong and sudden dislike to his odd behaviour and forced entry into their peaceful lives.
This is a dark portrayal of the lengths someone is willing to go to when they have nothing to lose and everything that belongs to someone else to gain, and the psychopathic tendencies that go hand in hand with such obsessions.
This show was reviewed on the 24th September 2025 at Birmingham REP where it runs until the 27th October 2025. Tickets available here: The Talented Mr. Ripley | Birmingham Rep
Full tour details here: The Talented Mr Ripley - UK Tour 2025 & 2026
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Photo credit: Mark Senior
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