Theatre review: Les Liaisons Dangereuses

A new production of Christopher Hampton's best-known play, an adaptation of a novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos at the Lyttelton, marks Marianne Elliott's first time back at the National since Angels In America. Although this, and most other elements of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, seem to have been overshadowed by Lesley Aisons Manville, who's turned out to be surprisingly camera-shy for a film star. Manville plays the Marquise de Merteuil, the most in-demand guest of 18th Century Paris aristocracy's social life. Merteuil is a widow who, comfortable in her wealth and standing, entertains herself by taking numerous lovers, as well as orchestrating affairs and scandals for others. She's particularly fond of corrupting wide-eyed innocents, but has managed to keep her activities in the shadows, and her own reputation spotless.

The Vicomte de Valmont (Aidan Turner,) by contrast, maintains his position in society but his many sexual conquests are widely rumoured, and aristocratic ladies warn their daughters against him.

The pair often play their games of manipulation together, and the play begins with both of them wanting to take revenge against a rival, by corrupting a young woman close to them: Merteuil has been dumped, and wants Valmont to seduce the ex's virginal new fiancée Cécile (Hannah van der Westhuysen.) Valmont finds that far too easy a challenge, instead mentoring her music teacher Danceny (Darragh Hand) in how to do it himself - at least to start with.

He's set himself a greater challenge in Madame de Tourvel (Monica Barbaro,) the famously faithful wife to an often-absent husband. She becomes the subject of a bet between him and Merteuil, but her nature ends up making the notorious rake fall in love with her for real, with tragic consequences.

Elliott's production is characteristically stylish, with Natalie Roar's costumes a punky twist on period styles, Rosanna Vize's mirrored set dominated by a huge stylised chandelier that looks as dangerous as it does dramatic, and choreography from Tom Jackson Greaves that doesn't only provide spectacle but also tells a lot of the story beats energetically. Though full of exits the stage feels claustrophobic as behind every door is someone listening in, and the effect comes to a head in the climactic duel when the saucy paintings on the wall come down to trap Valmont with Danceny.

A lot of the evening plays out as a particularly sinister sex comedy and there are plenty of audience laughs at the vicious quips from the leads, but it's 2026 and the darker side couldn't go unexplored; Turner's Valmont may be charming and, on the surface, essentially affable, but when circumstances change so it does suit his interests to seduce Cécile himself, we're left uncomfortably aware of the coercion and grooming going on.

Manville and Turner live up to their billing, and spark off each other verbally and physically in a way that makes you forget the almost three-decade age difference. Turner also appears to have learned his lines, which is nice. Barbaro struggles a bit to make the terminally nice Tourvel interesting but the production does find an unexpected centre in van der Westhuysen, whose Cécile transforms from insipid little girl, through victim to something stronger, and eventually monster of Merteuil's own making. A long evening that doesn't feel as long as it actually is, there are still ways for Les Liaisons Dangereuses to scandalise. And Manville may have famously banned curtain call photos, but I guess it's fair to keep some surprises secret. Who knew she could do that with a ping-pong ball?

Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Christopher Hampton, based on the novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, is booking until the 6th of June at the National Theatre's Lyttelton.

Running time: 3 hours including interval.

Photo credit: Sarah Lee.