The Talented Mr Ripley featuring The Crown and EastEnders stars coming to Bristol
Maisie Smith and Ed McVey have been announced as the lead stars in an upcoming UK stage tour of The Talented Mr Ripley.
McVey, 25, known for his role as a young Prince William in Netflix’s The Crown, will take on the role of Tom Ripley, a mysterious young man who is offered the chance to travel to Italy, where he becomes entangled in a complex web of identity, deceit, and desire.
Smith, 24, who rose to fame on EastEnders, will play Marge Sherwood, the girlfriend of wealthy playboy Dickie Greenleaf and a central figure in Ripley’s descent into obsession in a theatrical adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s acclaimed 1955 novel.
Highsmith’s novel, which marks its 70th anniversary this year, also inspired the 1999 film adaptation starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett. The character of Tom Ripley went on to feature in four more novels, including Ripley Under Ground, Ripley’s Game, The Boy Who Followed Ripley, and Ripley Under Water, the final instalment published in 1991.
Over the years, the Ripley character has appeared in multiple screen versions, including a 2005 adaptation of *Ripley Under Ground* and, more recently, a television mini-series starring Andrew Scott as the enigmatic con artist.
The new stage production will begin its run at Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre on September 4, with an official opening night scheduled for September 10. Following its Cheltenham dates, the tour will visit cities including Edinburgh, Birmingham, Woking, Oxford, Brighton, Bristol, Richmond, and Salford.
Smith and McVey are confirmed to lead the cast through to the end of 2025, with additional tour dates for 2026 expected to be announced in due course. Further casting details have yet to be revealed.
The Talented Mr Ripley will be at the Bristol Old Vic from Monday 3 to Saturday 8 of November.