Five Reasons To Catch This World-Premiere Take on The Talented Mr. Ripley

He may be a man with a face no one remembers, but Tom Ripley is a name everyone knows – even those who’ve never read Patricia Highsmith’s gripping 1955 thriller.

Despite its mid-century origins, The Talented Mr. Ripley continues to find itself in the cultural zeitgeist, from the 1999 film starring Matt Damon to Andrew Scott’s turn in 2024’s black-and-white series Ripley on Netflix.

Now the glamorous Euro summer coastlines and cities favoured by the wealthy targets of his obsession are hitting the stage in a hot new production from Sydney Theatre Company.

For the unfamiliar, the story follows Tom Ripley, an orphan and striver, barely scraping by in 1950s New York. But beneath his grim circumstances and forgettable face, Tom cultivates certain talents that set him apart: an extraordinary capacity for mimicry and deception. When he’s hired to find and retrieve rich heir Dickie Greenleaf from Italy, Tom falls headfirst into a glittering world of excess – and a life of luxury he’s willing to kill for.

Need a bit more convincing? Here are five reasons you won’t want to miss this new theatrical take on the page-turning classic.

STC is one of the best in the biz

Commissioned as part of STC’s 2025 season, this production of The Talented Mr. Ripley is a world-premiere adaptation that Sydney audiences get to experience before anyone else. And if the theatre company’s past hits are anything to go by, you’re in for a treat.

Past STC plays like Julia and RGB have made waves, opening to critical acclaim and embarking on national tours. And other show-stoppers have done one better by getting runs overseas. Show-stopping West End and Broadway smash The Picture of Dorian Gray has opened on London’s West End and Broadway with Sarah Snook (Succession), and 2024’s Dracula is about to premiere in London starring Cynthia Erivo. This run of successful shows makes it even more important you get in quick to secure your tickets.

Award-winning creative minds

It’s not just STC that’s got credentials to back up this momentous production.

Adapted by renowned Australian playwright Joanna Murray-Smith and directed by award-winning Sarah Goodes, The Talented Mr. Ripley is also a reunion of the duo behind STC hits Julia (which sold out in its premiere season and the national tour across the country) and Switzerland (an original thriller heavily inspired by Highsmith’s own life – with a film adaptation starring Helen Mirren on the way).

Joined by a stellar design team, you know you’re in for a theatrical treat.

A killer cast

Expect to see both familiar faces and young rising stars from Australia’s stage and screen, headlined by Will McDonald (Netflix’s Heartbreak High) as the enigmatic Tom Ripley himself.

Raj Labade (Amazon Prime’s The Office) will appear as hedonistic heir Dickie, with Andrew McFarlane (ABC’s The Newsreader and award-winning actor for STC’s Hubris & Humiliation) as his controlling father.

The cast also features Faisal Hamza (ABC’s House of Gods) as Freddie Miles, Johnny Nasser (STC’s The Dictionary of Lost Words) as Inspector Roverini, and Claude Scott-Mitchell (Binge’s The Last Anniversary) as Marge Sherwood.

Retro style

Set in the late 1950s, between New York City and Italy’s glittering coastline, this world is rich with luxury, embodying the era’s timeless refinement.

With jet-setting power couple Dickie and Marge’s blend of preppy American and dapper European dressing rippling into fashion at the time, it’s no wonder Tom Ripley fell hard for the luxe life. Join him and escape into that elegance for a couple hours – just don’t get any ideas from a certain person’s playbook.

Great date night

STC’s Roslyn Packer Theatre is perfectly placed to do the classic dinner-and-a-show, in the Walsh Bay Arts Precinct between The Rocks, Barangaroo and near the Sydney Opera House.

Whether going with friends, a date or solo, there are plenty of choices nearby to extend the theatre vibe to a night out, including the all-important post-show drink and debrief at The Theatre Bar at the End of the Wharf.

Cap it off with a harbourside stroll for another quintessential Sydney experience.

The Talented Mr. Ripley is on at the Roslyn Packer Theatre from August 19 to September 28. Tickets are on sale now. New seats have just been released – get in now before they sell out.
Presenting Partner: Allens. Stage rights by Diogenes Verlag AG Zürich.

This article is produced by Broadsheet in partnership with Sydney Theatre Company.