REVIEW - THE TALENTED MR. RIPLEY | THE LOWRY | 17/11/2025

The Talented Mr Ripley at The Lowry – A Sharp, Stylish and Cleverly Unsettling Adaptation

The Talented Mr Ripley has been adapted many times for screen and stage, but Mark Leipacher’s latest version brings Patricia Highsmith’s psychological thriller into a bold and atmospheric theatrical world. This UK tour stop at The Lowry was my first encounter with the story — I hadn’t read the book or seen any previous adaptations — and I was struck by how accessible and engaging this production feels for newcomers. Led by Ed McVey as Tom Ripley, this inventive staging leans confidently into themes of identity, ambition and deception, offering a stylish and unsettling interpretation that stands firmly on its own.

It took me a little while to settle into the world of the story and understand Tom Ripley’s place within it, but once the production found its rhythm — and once I started to grasp Tom’s motivations more clearly — I was completely gripped.

We meet Tom as a struggling New Yorker scraping by on small lies and forged signatures, suddenly offered an unexpected opportunity when wealthy Herbert Greenleaf asks him to travel to Italy and retrieve his wayward son, Dickie. When Tom arrives, the tone shifts: Dickie’s effortless, sun-drenched lifestyle begins to consume him, and admiration gradually blurs into obsession. What starts as a simple task slowly unravels into something far more sinister, as Tom steps deeper into deception, impersonation and violence.

Leipacher’s adaptation intentionally keeps us close to Tom’s thoughts. His quick asides, shifting logic and flickers of anxiety give the story a tense, psychological edge. The decision to interrupt scenes with ensemble members calling “cut” or resetting moments adds an intriguing, occasionally amusing layer to Tom’s fractured mindset, even if the technique doesn’t always maintain momentum.

Holly Pigott’s minimalist black design is one of the production’s most imaginative choices. A raised square platform, complete with hidden entrances below and a central cut-out, transforms seamlessly from New York to the sun-drenched shores of 1950s Italy. The ensemble’s movement — often shifting set pieces, appearing from beneath the stage or forming part of the scenery — keeps scenes fluid and visually engaging.

Zeynep Kepekli’s lighting brings striking contrasts, sometimes evoking the warmth of Italy, sometimes sharpening the atmosphere into something tense and intimate as Tom’s lies begin to close in. The effect is stylish, though there were moments where I would have loved a little more scenic texture to help bring the Mediterranean setting to life.

Max Pappenheim’s subtle sound design supports the production well. It’s deliberately understated but used purposefully, helping to build tension at key moments and adding to the sense of claustrophobia as Tom’s choices close in around him. Combined with the show’s carefully choreographed ensemble movement and seamless transitions, it gives the entire production a fluid, cohesive rhythm.

This production lives and dies by its Tom Ripley — and Ed McVey is exceptional. On stage throughout, he delivers a performance that is unsettling, complex and oddly hypnotic. His mix of charm, insecurity and cold calculation keeps the audience constantly guessing, and his micro-expressions alone could tell Ripley’s story.

Bruce Herbelin-Earle brings an easy, languid warmth to Dickie Greenleaf, making Tom’s fixation entirely believable. Maisie Smith offers grit and intelligence as Marge Sherwood, grounding the story with her level-headed presence. Christopher Bianchi gives a quietly affecting performance as Herbert Greenleaf (and later, the Italian detective Roverini), while Cary Crankson brings humour and tension as Freddie Miles. The ensemble works with precision, doubling effectively as characters and elements of the set.

The Talented Mr Ripley at The Lowry is a slick, intelligent and darkly compelling piece of theatre. Coming to the story with no knowledge of the book or any of its screen adaptations, I was surprised by how accessible and engaging this production is for newcomers. Once the narrative settled into its rhythm, I found myself completely drawn in by its psychological twists, shifting identities and unsettling charm.

While some of the stylistic choices — particularly the moments where the action is paused and restarted with a shouted “cut!” — momentarily break the flow, the inventive staging, striking design and Ed McVey’s outstanding central performance more than carry the production. Even without knowing the previous versions, it’s easy to see how this story continues to inspire new adaptations — and this one feels bold, imaginative and confidently told.

“A sleek and shadowy thriller that proves identity is the greatest performance of all.”

The Talented Mr Ripley is at The Lowry until Saturday 22nd November 2025. Tickets are available for purchase through the link provided below.

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If you would like more information about the show, please click the button below to visit the show's official website.

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Photo Credit - Mark Senior

*Our tickets for this show were kindly gifted in exchange for an honest review.