Ledbury Amateur Dramatic Society is to present its most challenging play to date - with a cast of 13 actors and a lot of crossed fingers.

The Talented Mr Ripley could scarcely be more contemporary, although the action is set in 1950s New York and Italy.

The play follows the exploits of the anti-hero, Tom Ripley, who is best described as a suave and charming psychopath.

The ambitious production, by the young playwright Phyllis Nagy, was first performed as recently as 1998, at the Royal Court Theatre in London. It has since been made into a film featuring Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow.

It is a play that demands total concentration from the audience, who are expected to keep track of two separate time periods, often featuring the same actors. If that were not enough, both US and Italian scenes are sometimes represented simultaneously.

Director Rachel Williams, who described the show as "a stylish psychological drama", realised that a longer than usual rehearsal period would be necessary to do it justice.

As a result, the cast have been rehearsing hard since January, having been recruited, most unusually, through widely-advertised auditions. So, when the curtain goes up, there will not only be actors from Ledbury on stage but from as far afield as Malvern, Hereford and even Bristol.

Rachel said: "It was wonderful to have so many experienced actors fighting for parts in this exciting production. Now we're looking forward to entertaining our regular theatre-goers and those who may not have been here before.

"I would say this is the most challenging play ever attempted by LADS. There's a lot of dialogue and you get sudden points of tension, as with Pinter's work."

The news from rehearsals is that the show is dynamite. Audiences will be able to judge for themselves during the four-night run, from May 8 to May 11, at the Market Theatre, at 8pm. Tickets are available from Ledbury Books and Maps in High Street.