The closing scene gave us a blinding flash of light and the unmistakable sound of a falling blade on a privileged neck, a reminder of what is to come. If Les Liaisons Dangereuses is an accurate picture of the depravity of French aristocratic society before the revolution, then I have more than a little sympathy with les sans culottes. Ce n'est pas la même chose! Emilie (Jayne Ashbourne) the prostitute gives us an earthy scene as Valmont composes a letter leaning on her attractive rump. How interesting that blondes in 18th century France had a reputation for chastity.
Olivia Llewellyn is enthusiastic as Cecile, the virgin Valmont seduces. Harris is more at home when he is called upon to be plain nasty than when he is beguiling or confused by the love he really feels for La Tourvel. The second half moves at a better pace than the first and the duel scene is choreographed to perfection. Polly Walker too, although she is very pretty, did not really convey the base, vengeful maliciousness of the Marquise's empty existence. I feel that although Valmont behaves in the worst possible way he has to be smooth and attractive, sexy and sophisticated. Maybe he would have been helped by a powdered wig and white face makeup with the odd patch? His voice has an almost lisp-like quality to it and the sotto voce way he speaks Hampton's dry witty lines sounds merely querulous. Rosy faced and red haired, he physically doesn't fit the bill as the great seducer. Jared Harris is very disappointing in the role.
Emilia Fox alone of the principals is excellent as the virtuous woman, La Presidente de Tourvel, the ultimate object of seduction, the task Valmont sets himself alongside the seduction of a virgin bride set by his handler, La Marquise. If only the performances were as sparkling as the chandeliers then we would have had a luminescent night in the theatre. Cut glass chandeliers rise and fall (as do the heaving bosoms) to create differing rooms as silk skirts and embroidered coats create plush period atmosphere. This is a pretty production, simply set with a multipurpose chaise-longue which converts to a bed as and when necessary and with mob capped servants to carry out the numerous scene changes on the Playhouse's circular revolving set. Harris plays Le Vicomte de Valmont, the part taken by the amazing John Malkovitch in the film with Glenn Close as his partner in intrigue, the Marquise de Merteuil, here acted by Polly Walker. Directed by Tim Fywell whose delightful film of the Dodie Smith novel I Capture the Castle pleased critics earlier this year, Les Liaisons Dangereuses stars the late Richard Harris' son, Jared. Now Christopher Hampton's play based on the eighteenth century French novel of Choderlos de Laclos about the corrupt and depraved aspects of French aristocratic society before the revolution is revived at the Playhouse. Many people in London still talk about the magnificent RSC 1986 production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses which brought together the acting talents of Alan Rickman and Lindsay Duncan.
Jared Harris as Valmont, Polly Walker as La Marquise and Emilia Fox as Madame de Tourvel
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