I do not want to wait till the dress rehearsal, or opening night, to realise that two of my actors have zero chemistry on stage. When the script says ‘kiss’ – you kiss… in rehearsals. Every actor cast needs to be comfortable, or be willing to work towards being comfortable, with the sexual and romantic action and dialogue that takes place within the story. I am looking for a cast that can work together to bring out the best in each other. We will work on a composite set to minimise scene changes. Ornate costumes contrasted with plain undergarments and night attire. The immaculate lavishness of parlours contrasted with twisted and crumpled sheets in bedrooms. In terms of design, I also want to bring out this contrast between the public and the private. I also have a fondness for stories where what is not said tells as much of the story as what the characters do say - looks, gestures, pauses, a well-timed entrance or exit from the stage, a smirk, staying a moment too long, characters standing uncomfortably close or achingly distant. I think I love the way that Merteuil and Valmont go about achieving their aim – which is essentially to simply amuse themselves. I have wanted to direct Les Liaisons Dangereuses for many years. Alan Rickman and John Malkovich have been among those to play Valmont. Notable actors to have played Merteuil include Lindsay Duncan, Glenn Close and Laura Linney. The play was also adapted to the film Dangerous Liaisons in 1988. Originally staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1985, it has played on the West End and Broadway, including a revival in 2008. But the innocent also suffer from the protagonist's schemes: hearing of Valmont's death, Madame de Tourvel succumbs to a fever and dies, while Cécile returns to the convent. Her face is left permanently scarred and she is rendered blind in one eye, so she loses her greatest asset: her beauty. These letters are sufficient to ruin her reputation, and she flees to the countryside, where she contracts smallpox. Before he dies he is reconciled with Danceny, giving him the letters proving Merteuil's own involvement. Danceny and Valmont duel, and Valmont is fatally wounded. Merteuil declares war on Valmont, and in revenge she reveals to Danceny that Valmont has seduced Cécile. In response Valmont reveals that he prompted Danceny to reunite with Cécile, leaving Merteuil abandoned yet again. Jealous, Merteuil tricks him into deserting Madame de Tourvel – and reneges on her promise of spending the night with him. In the meantime, Merteuil takes Danceny as a lover.īy the time Valmont has succeeded in seducing Madame de Tourvel, it is suggested that he might have fallen in love with her. He avenges himself in seducing Cécile as Merteuil had suggested. During the course of his pursuit, he discovers that Cécile's mother has written to Madame de Tourvel about his bad reputation. He expects rapid success, but does not find it as easy as his many other conquests. Merteuil promises Valmont that if he seduces Madame de Tourvel and provides her with written proof, she will spend the night with him. Valmont refuses, finding the task too easy, and preferring to devote himself to seducing Madame de Tourvel. Merteuil suggests that the Vicomte seduce Cécile in order to exact her revenge on Cécile's future husband. Cécile falls in love with the Chevalier Danceny (her music tutor) and Merteuil and Valmont pretend to want to help the secret lovers in order to gain their trust, so that they can use them later in their own schemes. At the same time, the Marquise de Merteuil is determined to corrupt the young Cécile de Volanges, whose mother has only recently brought her out of a convent to be married – to Merteuil's recent lover, who has become bored with her and discarded her. The Vicomte de Valmont is determined to seduce the virtuous (and married) Madame de Tourvel, who is living with Valmont's aunt while Monsieur de Tourvel, a magistrate, is away on a court case. Venue: The Stables Theatre, Cnr Arthur St & Main Highway, Ellerslie, Auckland Written by Christopher Hampton – adapted from the novel written by Pierre Choderlos de Lacios in 1782Īudition: Saturday 12 November 2011 at 1.30pm
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