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.

Theatre review:Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons

Fresh from an As You Like It that leaned heavily on sign language, Josie Rourke directs a play that investigates communication and what happens when its methods are severely limited. I missed Sam Steiner's Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons when it first premiered in 2015, and have felt left out having seen it mentioned in so many lists of best recent plays. But as it gets a starry West End production I'm left wondering what the fuss is about, in a play with a fascinating premise that sets the stage for a lot of interesting ideas - but runs out of things to do with them very quickly. Bernadette (Jenna Coleman) and Oliver (Aidan Turner) are a couple living in a dystopian world where Parliament has passed a law forbidding anyone from using more than 140 words, spoken or in writing, in any 24-hour period.

Theatre review: The Lieutenant of Inishmore

It’s starting to look like 2018 might be the first year I don’t see Damien Molony on stage since I started this blog; instead it’s his Being Human predecessor who makes his West End debut in The Lieutenant of Inishmore. And while I guess Poldark fans probably make up more of the audience, it’s those of us who are used to seeing Aidan Turner covered in blood who’ll be most at home here. We first meet Turner’s Mad Padraic when he’s torturing small-time drug dealer James (Brian Martin,) stringing him upside-down from a meat hook and asking him to choose which nipple to lose. A nationalist considered too crazy even for the IRA, Padraic has joined splinter group the INLA instead, and has spent the last year travelling around Ireland, blowing up chip shops (they’re not really a legitimate political target, but they’re much easier to infiltrate.) James’ nipple is saved at the last minute by a phone call from Padraic’s father.