The Talented Mr Ripley - Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury

Have you ever had the feeling you are being watched? Or followed?  Tom Ripley has.  Follow him to the Waterside theatre, Aylesbury, where The Talented Mr Ripley is currently playing. 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.

I had forgotten the story, despite owning a copy of the film, so watching this tonight felt fresh and unexpected.  Tom is indeed talented.  He is a chameleon. An actor.  He can pretend to be pretty much anyone but himself.  Ed McVey plays Tom.  You may remember him as Prince William in The Crown.  Ed is a phenomenal talent.  He is on stage for almost the entirety of the show and its an intense watch.  You can feel what Ed is portraying of how Tom feels at every step.  The way it’s been directed makes it even more intense as the 10-strong ensemble physically accentuate each movement.  We are almost living inside Tom’s head, hearing his inner monologue of how he feels about each conversation he has.  Are they boring?  Is he excited?  Is he jealous?  What exactly is his relationship with Dickie Greenleaf?  Ed certainly implies that all is not good inside Tom’s head and he feels unstable at best.

Dickie is rich and carefree, living his best life in Italy.  Bruce Herbelin-Earle plays Dickie and delivers Dickie’s confident manner and love of life in exuberant abundance.  His girlfriend, although not a serious relationship for him is Marge, played by Maisie Smith.  We feel for Marge and Maisie gives us a human we can relate to.  Between Bruce, Maisie and Ed, they hold the audience in the palm of their hands as we don’t know what is happening next and are holding our breath and literally on the edge of our seats to see.

This intense thriller is a must see with some of the best acting I have ever witnessed.

The Talented Mr Ripley is at Waterside, Theatre, Aylesbury until 31 January.