Review: Dangerous Liaisons at The New Theatre

Review by Grace Swadling

‘Dangerous Liaisons’ invites you into a steamy, scheming world of emotional manipulation and psychological warfare in a new adaptation by Deborah Mulhall and director Tasha O’Brien. Based on the 1782 novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, written by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, it tells the story of the Marquise Isabelle de Merteuil (Melissa Jones) and the Vicomte Sébastien de Valmont (Chad Traupmann), two amoral lovers-turned-rivals who amuse themselves by ruining others and who ultimately destroy each other in the process.

The original novel was an exploration of seduction, revenge and malice, presented in the form of fictional letters collected and published by a fictional author. For fans of the cult-classic film Cruel Intentions, you may not have realised it was based on a 18th century French novel and you may even spend the first ten minutes of Act 1 of ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ thinking “Huh, this feels a lot like Cruel Intentions.” However, Deborah Mulhall’s adaptation sticks very closely to the original material, using the letters the novel is composed of and rising to the challenge of turning those letters into dialogue.

Traupmann and Jones have excellent chemistry which helps keep their scenes engaging; Jones is utterly compelling in her defiance and outrage of the social role she was born into. Traupmann oozed chemistry with all of his scene partners, although the transition from shameless seductor to emotional lover seemed rushed and could have been built up more throughout the play. 

Megan Elizabeth Kennedy was a stand-out as Madame de Tourvel, the chaste married woman Valmont has set his sights on, who ultimately (and unfortunately) falls in love with him. Beth Champion as Volanges and Bronte Price as Cecille delighted as mother and daughter - both actresses made heightened, bold choices which worked tonally well within their roles. Price’s Cecille was full of breathy exclamations and horny teenage abundance, which was both exaggerated and endearing. Special mention should be also given to fight choreographers Diego Retamales and James Shepherd, as the sword duel between Danceny (played sweetly by Harrison Collis Oates) and Valmont was handled with precision and brought a real sense of urgency and thrill to the scene.

Whilst sex is a major factor of this production, manipulation and the dynamics between characters are equally as crucial, and more attention to the latter would have elevated this production. Director Tasha O’Brien has made some interesting choices; some of which landed really well but at other times raunchy gags were favoured over substance. There was activity in the background throughout the show which seemed unnecessary - more focus and intensity on the actors in the front and adapting a “less is more” attitude could have benefited this production.

However there were also real moments of fun with the subject material, including choreographed fan dances, and the ensemble worked to create the world of the play and bring it to life. Set Designer Patrick Kennedy’s set was expansive and atmospheric, perfectly setting the tone for the production. The four-poster bed behind velvet red curtains provocatively hinted at what was to come, whilst an opulent chandelier firmly put us into the aristocratic class of wealth and corruption. However, as the bed was the feature piece of the set but was positioned at the back of the stage, much of the action took place in the wide space in front of it, which made the space feel empty - even 9 actors could not fill the space at all times.

Lighting designer Holly Nesbitt gave us sensual red lights at the appropriate times and this combined with the soft lighting in moments of intimacy and flashing lights in moments of heightened emotion worked really well. A highlight came in the form of “windows” which, when lit from behind, showed shadowy figures listening in to the action on stage. Leaning more into elements like this would have been exciting to explore further. Another highlight was Lily Moody’s costumes, which cleverly indicated French aristocracy with a modern twist. 

All the design elements of this production have come together to create a blend of both the past and the present, which speaks to how this piece can still be viewed through a modern lens. Although much of the 1782 book was viewed as scandalous, there is still debate around the true intentions of Laclos’s publication. It can be viewed as a straightforward critique of the French nobility through a morality tale; however this interpretation has never been clear, as he apparently also enjoyed the company of the nobility himself.

This lack of clarity translates into a feeling of uncertainess towards the end of this particular adaptation. Merteuil’s eventual ruin takes place off-stage, which is slightly anti-climatic and only the “pure” characters remain unscathed. Because of this, it leaves an audience with the message that all those in favour of sexual freedom and promiscuity are seemingly punished for their transgression of societal norms. This could be attributed to the context of the original text; however for a modern audience it does undermine the work of the actors, particularly the  women of this production who each had their own agency in their performance. Despite this, it does by nature draw comparisons to how far we as a society have come in terms of our attitudes towards sex and sexuality, and the moments where the whole ensemble came together to dance their hearts out showed true joy and passion amongst the darker subject matter.

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