UK Theatre Network

The Talented Mr Ripley was the first of five psychological thrillers written by Patricia Highsmith about the complex character, Tom Ripley.
Orphaned as a young boy and brought up by the abusive and loud aunt Dottie ( Karen Mann), Ripley drifts through life as a con man, forging documents and impersonating others.  Ripley (Marcus Webb) is approached in New York by Herbert Greenleaf (Simon Jessop), a rich shipping magnate who offers to pay him to go to Italy and convince his son Richard (Elliot Harper) to return to the family business. Ripley has a vague memory of Richard but claims to know him well. Claire Lyth’s simple but striking set projects images of moving clouds as a backdrop to Ripley’s arrival in Italy.  He is overwhelmed by the carefree nature of Greenleaf’s life and his relationship with Marge Sherwood (Francesca Loren) and an obsession bordering on sexual for all things Greenleaf, begins to grip him.

Marcus Webb exuded a threatening air as he switched eloquently from humble and wiry to calculating and tragic as Tom Ripley, hiding a volatile character underneath the wide smile, and loud voice. This contrast with Elliott Harper’s slightly vulnerable Richard Greenleaf formed a powerful dynamic and strongly influenced the direction of my sympathies.  The tension caused by Ripley’s prickly relationship with Marge Sherwood made me feel sufficiently uncomfortable and I was surprised to find myself disliking Ripley. After befriending Greenleaf and managing to charm his way into his life, Ripley becomes accustomed to Greenleaf’s lifestyle. Both Greenleaf and Sherwood begin to tire of Ripley.  He suggests a trip to San Remo together without Marge, Greenleaf agrees to the trip intending to shake Ripley off.  The sinister side of Ripley’s character rears its head at this point when he almost convinces a drunken Greenleaf to rape a prostitute who flirts with them, dismissing the incident the next day as unimportant. Later that day the two take a boat trip, Ripley batters Greenleaf to death in a moment of calm desperation after arguing with him about his relationship with Greenleaf and Sherwood, he remains almost impervious for the remainder of the play as he goes on to kill others in order to maintain the lifestyle he yearns for.

The ambiguous nature of Ripley’s character is central to this production. It is at this point of the play that you could almost mistake Ripley for a caring human being. Deprived of the love of a family, he becomes chillingly desperate to endear the dead Greenleaf to Marge, who believes he has left her and the family who believe he has disowned them, by assuming the identity of Greenleaf and sending thoughtful letters and gifts to Marge and Greenleaf’s parents, something the uncaring Greenleaf never did. In doing this, Ripley vicariously basks in a pleasure that should have been Greenleaf’s. Ripley is consumed by paranoia after killing Greenleaf.  He sees himself as Greenleaf in his own mirror in a clever scene where Webb and Harper mimic each other in a frame.  In reference to the uncertainty of his sexuality,  he fantasizes about Greenleaf kissing him. It remains unclear whether this is purely his obsession with Greenleaf’s life, a suppressed sexual urge or again, just a need to be loved. Certain members of the audience were clearly uncomfortable with this notion, but interestingly not offended by the prospect of an on stage rape.  Maybe this was a risky choice of theme for Bob Carlton, but a successful and thought provoking performance. The only problem, although a small one, was the difficulty in showing such a deeply psychological storyline in such a short space of time.  At times the pace felt too rushed where more reflection was needed. But on a whole, the characters were well thought through and convincing.  Sam Kordbacheh had a difficult task playing similar characters but his Italian was impressive, Simon Jessop's Italian accent was comical but fun, Francesca Loren was alluring as Sophia and sweet as Marge, Karen Mann slipped effortlessly between loud Aunt Dottie and sophisticated Emily Greenleaf, and Sam Pay endured some pretty close kicks to the stomach throughout his death scene as Freddie Miles. The set was minimal but highly evocative of Mediterranean scenery and the many on stage changes of costume, well they certainly worked for me. 

The Talented Mr Ripley

by Phyllis Nagy

based on the novel by Patricia Highsmith 

Previews: 12 and 13 Mar at 8pm                      

First Night: Mon 15 Mar at 7.30pm

Performances: Tue–Sat at 8pm

Matinees: Sat 27 Mar and Thu 1 Apr at 2.30pm

Audio Described & Signed Performance: Sat 27 Mar at 2.30pm 

The Queen’s Theatre, Billet Lane, Hornchurch, RM11 1QT

Tube: Hornchurch                                                       

Tickets: £13.50 - £22

Box Office: 01708 443333                                           

Website: www.queens-theatre.co.uk
Cast :
Richard Greenleaf: Elliot Harper
Herbert Greenleaf: Simon Jessop
Reddington/Fausto/Silvio: Sam Kordbacheh
Marge Sherwood/Sophia: Francesca Loren
Emily Greenleaf/Aunt Dottie: Karen Mann
Marc Priminger/Freddie Miles: Sam Pay
Tom Ripley: Marcus Webb

Director : Bob Carlton
Designer: Claire Lyth
Lighting Designer: Matthew Eagland
Voice Coach: Richard Ryder

 

Vicky Ireland's adaptation of The Hare and the Tortoise at the Queen's Theatre forms part of the Theatre for Young Minds programme which is run by the Theatre's Education and Outreach Department. The scheme will be taking the production to schools and children's venues around Essex and East London, aiming to introduce young children to live performance.

Members of Cut to the Chase welcomed the audience into the small village, children could sit in the middle to enjoy the action from all sides. I was shown to my seat by Earnest the Tortoise, the unlikely hero, whilst Gussy Spike, the melodic hedgehog sang us a song and the other characters played us in with a guitar and an accordion.  

The evil, fiddle toting Rhoda Skunk informs us, "I'm a business skunk," as she reveals her plans to turn the whole countryside into tarmac, leaving Earnest and his friends homeless in the process. Earnest and Gussy intend to fight Rhoda and Judge Fairweather decides that the matter will be resolved in a race around the town. Harold Bigfeet, the Hare who performs cartwheels and ballet style leaps, will represent the fast team and Earnest, the methodical and thoughtful tortoise, will race for the slow team.

Harold plays many tricks on the honest Ernest including switching road signs, but the audience (eventually) inform Earnest of this.  Suddenly the story takes a twist when aliens appear from another world and abduct the racers, leaving the fate of planet Earth in their hands.

Important issues were touched on, such as the need to slow down our fast paced lives and the danger of roads was nicely included during the Green Cross Code song. All sound effects and musical accompaniment were provided by the ever resourceful cast.

Never work with children and animals?  Well, the animals in this production were extremely well trained and the children were quiet as mice, sometimes too quiet, but judging by the looks of awe on their faces at the singing and dancing characters, they were highly entertained.

The Hare and Tortoise

The Queen’s Theatre Foyer, Billet Lane, Hornchurch RM11 1QT

Tube: Hornchurch

Tickets: £5

Box Office: 01708 443333

Website: www.queens-theatre.co.uk