4 – 13 September
“I never wanted to murder anyone. It was necessary.”
Step into a world of deception, desire, and deadly ambition. How far would you go to become someone else?
Tom Ripley is a nobody – scraping by in New York, forging signatures, telling little white lies – until a chance encounter changes everything. When a wealthy stranger offers him an all-expenses-paid trip to Italy to bring home his wayward son, Dickie Greenleaf, Tom leaps at the opportunity.
But in the sun-drenched glamour of 1950s Italy, surrounded by shimmering waters and whispered secrets, Tom is seduced by the life Dickie leads – the freedom, the wealth, the effortless charm. Fascination turns to obsession, and as his grip tightens on Dickie’s world, the lines between truth and deception begin to blur. What starts as an innocent opportunity spirals into a chilling game of lies, identity theft, and murder.
2025 marks the 70th anniversary of Patricia Highsmith’s iconic, gripping novel, the source material for the 2000 Oscar nominated film starring Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow, the 2024 Netflix adaptation starring Andrew Scott and the stage adaptation.
The ten-strong ensemble cast is led by Ed McVey as Tom Ripley. Ed was one of the stars of The Crown. Bruce Herbelin-Earle from Netfix’s Free Rein is Dickie Greenleaf and EastEnders regular and Strictly Come Dancing finalist Maisie Smith stars as Marge Sherwood.
Ed McVey is best known for his debut performance as Prince William in The Crown (Netflix) starring alongside iconic actors such as Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce and Dominic West. Ed proved to be the standout star of the final series of the royal drama with Radio Times declaring “McVey is up to the challenge, proving to be a captivating screen presence and impressive at capturing the essence of the young prince”. Ed was nominated for his role in the show in the category of Outstanding Performance by an ensemble in a Drama Series at the 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards. His previous theatre work includes Camp Siegfried at The Old Vic.
Maisie Smith is an award-winning actress, best known for her beloved portrayal of Tiffany Butcher in BBC’s EastEnders. She made her screen debut as a young Queen Elizabeth in The Other Boleyn Girl, alongside Scarlett Johansson and Eddie Redmayne – the same year she first appeared in EastEnders. Her performance earned her accolades including ‘Best Dramatic Performance from a Young Actor’ at the British Soap Awards and ‘Best Young Actor’ at the Inside Soap Awards. In 2019, Maisie won Children in Need: Strictly Come Dancing Special with Kevin Clifton and went on to reach the final of Strictly Come Dancing in 2020, winning over audiences nationwide. She later toured with Strictly Presents: Keep Dancing in 2022. Maisie then starred as Fran in the UK tour of Strictly Ballroom The Musical, based on Baz Luhrmann’s award-winning film – a role that earned her a nomination for ‘Best Performer in a Musical’ at The Stage Debut Awards. In 2024, she played Chloe in the British gangster comedy Bermondsey Tales: The Fall of the Roman Empire. Most recently, she toured arenas across the UK and Europe as Beth in Jeff Wayne’s The War of the Worlds – Spirit of Man Tour 2025.
The Everyman Theatre
Regent Street, Cheltenham, GL50 1HQ
