I have fond memories of the 1999 film of Patricia Highsmith’s best-known book, which starred Matt Damon as Tom Ripley, a con artist who is sent from New York City to Italy to convince Dickie Greenleaf (played by Jude Law), a rich and spoiled playboy, to return home. However, Dickie is not easily swayed, and Ripley becomes dangerously attached to him and his lifestyle. Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, and Philip Seymour Hoffman also starred in a film that featured the seductive Italian sunshine (although unexpected rain hampered the production).
And so to Guildford for this production, which is touring until May. Ed McVey, who played Prince William in The Crown, plays Tom Ripley and takes complete command of this production. He is in almost every scene, and pretty much dominates throughout in a real tour-de-force performance (which must be exhausting!). Bruce Herbelin-Earle plays Dickie in what marks his professional theatre debut, and he is very effective as the handsome playboy living in the seaside village of Mongibello with his American girlfriend, Marge Sherwood, well played by Maisie Smith (Tiffany Smith in Eastenders).
The plays starts when shipbuilding magnate Herbert Greenleaf, believing Tom Ripley attended Princeton with his son, Dickie, pays him to travel to Italy and persuade him to return to the United States. Once there, Tom befriends Dickie and Marge, claiming to be a former Princeton classmate. He enjoys Dickie’s extravagant lifestyle and then becomes obsessed…
Mark Leipacher’s adaptation for the stage takes an interestingly creative approach which may not immediately appeal to all. The staging is minimalist with no splashes of a colourful Italian backdrop, but it does have its clever moments which require our imagination and some good lighting effects. The extras mill around at times, effectively playing some of the staging, which is a little disconcerting at times. It also contains the initially rather confusing utterances of ‘cut’ by Ripley and the stage being re-set at various points, as if he was unsure of his future actions and was mulling them over in his head.
I found the first half rather slow and it took me a little time to get behind the modern approach of this production but the acting and story line are so good that I really looked forward to the second act following the climax at the end of the first. It’s a long play at over two hours but nonetheless becomes quite compelling, as we watch and almost root for our very engaging anti-hero and his murderous machinations.
Some terrific performances, splashes of humour and great story do make this a gripping watch. It is fresh and inventive, perhaps a tad confusing to start, but stick with it and you’ll be rewarded by an admirable and clever production.
Stefan Reynolds
It is on at yvonne-arnaud.co.uk until Saturday 21st February. Please visit thetalentedmrripleyplay.com/ for more information.
Photo by Mark Senior
