Actors Maisie Smith and Ed McVey are to star in a UK tour of The Talented Mr Ripley.
The stage adaptation is based on the 1955 novel of the same name by Patricia Highsmith, which was also the source material for the popular 1999 film starring Matt Damon, Jude Law, Gwyneth Paltrow and Cate Blanchett.
McVey, 25, who portrayed a young Prince William in Netflix drama The Crown, will play the mysterious protagonist Tom Ripley, who is offered an opportunity to travel to Italy.
Former EastEnders actress Smith, 24, will star as Marge Sherwood, the girlfriend of Dickie Greenleaf, who draws Tom into a world of glittering privilege.
Highsmith, whose novel is celebrating its 70th anniversary, went on to write Ripley Under Ground, Ripley’s Game, The Boy Who Followed Ripley, and lastly in 1991 Ripley Under Water.
The book series has spawned several adaptions including 2005’s Ripley Under Ground, starring Barry Pepper, Alan Cumming and Willem Dafoe.
More recently the psychological thriller was turned into a mini-series starring Irish actor Andrew Scott in the role of con artist Tom.
The stage adaptation will open on September 4 at Cheltenham’s Everyman Theatre and will have an official opening night on September 10.
After its initial dates in Cheltenham, the show will travel to Edinburgh, Birmingham, Woking, Oxford, Brighton, Bristol, Richmond and Salford.
Smith and McVey will be in the starring roles until the end of 2025. Touring dates for 2026 are yet to be announced.
Further casting is also to be announced.
