The talented Mr McVey

The Crown's Ed McVey stars as charismatic killer Tom Ripley in the first ever UK tour of psychological thriller, The Talented Mr Ripley. NATALIE BANYARD caught up with Ed as the production heads to Bristol Old Vic

- NATALIE BANYARD

NOVEMBER marks the 70th anniversary of Patricia Highsmith's The Talented Mr Ripley; the iconic, gripping novel that was adapted into the 1999 Oscar nominated film starring Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow, and the 2024 Netflix adaptation featuring Andrew Scott.

Now the psychological thriller has become an enthralling new stage production, with 26-year-old actor Ed McVey, one of the stars of the hit Netflix show The Crown, stepping into the spotlight as the enigmatic Tom Ripley.

Touring to Bristol Old Vic from November 3 to 8, Ed is joined by a 10-strong ensemble cast including Bruce Herbelin-Earle from Netflix's Free Rein as Dickie Greenleaf, and EastEnders regular and Strictly Come Dancing finalist Maisie Smith as Marge Sherwood.

Tom Ripley is a nobody - until he's offered an unexpected opportunity: travel to Italy and bring home the wealthy and carefree Dickie Greenleaf. But as Tom is drawn into Dickie's glittering world of privilege, his obsession takes a dark turn. What begins as an innocent invitation spirals into a web of lies, identity theft and murder.

Set against the sun-drenched backdrop of 1950s Italy, this electrifying new stage adaptation of The Talented Mr Ripley will pull you into Ripley's intoxicating world with razor-sharp dialogue, psychological intensity, simmering tension, and a chillingly charismatic antihero.

Ed McVey is best known for his debut performance as Prince William in The Crown, 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, acclaimed for his captivating screen presence and ability to capture the essence of the young prince.