Adapted by Deborah Mulhall from the novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos. Directed by Tasha O’Brien
Sexy and steamy, but in need of some creative tweaks, these liaisons are very dangerous indeed
Reviewed by Justin Clarke
New Theatre, Newtown
Until 28th June, 2025
Tickets: https://newtheatre.org.au/dangerous-liaisons/
Type: Adaptation, French revival, Sexual deviants
If you liked: Cruel Intentions, Desperate Duchesses Series, Twelfth Night
In the aftermath of the French Revolution, heads rolled (literally) as the decadence of the French aristocracy came to its end. Thanks, in part, to the King Louises and their penchant for all things gilded in gold, pastries and ruffles, the separation between classes in 18th century France was large enough to fill a Versailles-shaped gap.
Enter Pierre Choderlos de Laclos and his scandalous novel Les Liaisons dangereuses – or as 90s kids might know it, Cruel Intentions. Audiences have relished in loathing versions of the devilish pairing of the Marquise de Merteuil (Melissa Jones) and Vicomte de Valmont (Chad Traupmann) for centuries, and now, thanks to an adaptation for the New Theatre by Deborah Mulhall, they’re back as voraciously sexual as ever. Pro tip: if French names and aristocratic titles leave your head spinning, brush up with one of the many film versions first.
Revelling in each other’s wicked presence for years, Merteuil and Valmont gorge themselves on emotional manipulation and psychological warfare protected by their obscene wealth and immune to any sympathy on who gets caught up in their games. It’s the boredom that Valmont eventually feels that sees him turn his eyes on the seduction of a young woman fresh from a nunnery, striking the ultimate wager between the pair with tragic results. Love and revenge are the game, and it’s about to get messy.
Under Tasha O’Brien’s direction, the original’s sexual gamesmanship is turned up to steaming. Moments of intimacy, biting lips and sucking thumbs coordinated by Shondelle Pratt’s consent consultancy gives Dangerous Liaisons its edge. O’Brien positions the ensemble to swiftly utilise the sprawling set through contemporary songs and dance numbers to keep the energy alive as it sometimes teeters on the edge of flatlining.
This isn’t helped by a lighting design that is too dark for the space. At times Holly Nesbitt’s design gives the stage flushes of sexual amber and a strobing club-like atmosphere in moments of movement, but in scenes of dialogue, the stage is unfortunately cast in mostly shadow.
It’s clear that it’s been done to reduce the emptiness in Patrick Kennedy’s set design, with lights cornering off sections to suggest rooms and areas of intimacy. A large four poster bed sits on a checker-boarded platform that cuts into the two back entrances of the stage, with a chandelier sitting centre stage, and the rest of the floor space being empty room to move. By bringing the action just that little bit closer to us, perhaps we could have shared in some of the intimacy at play.
O’Brien, along with fight choreographers Diego Retamales and James Shepherd, keeps things dynamic with sharp ensemble work and plenty of dramatic fan snapping.
You know that actors are doing something right when the actual police come banging on the stage door
Suffering from a bout of didacticism, Mulhall’s adaptation preaches a little bit too on the nose at times. One liners about how easy it is to help the poor, and jabs towards the upper class do extract chuckles from the audience, but the nuance ultimately isn’t there.
The women may be pawns in the game, but here they’re given agency through both performance and presence. They ultimately take back some ownership over their existence in a world where they’re subdued to the clergy, married off, or silenced. There may be moments of ‘let them eat cake’ ignorance, but at least there’s some semblance of a soul in the centre.
Megan Elizabeth Kennedy’s cries of betrayal are raw, Jone’s dialogue as Merteuil is biting, Bronte Price’s Cecile is anything but an air-head, Suzann James’ wealthy Rosemonde knows more about manipulating masculinity than she lets on, and Beth Champion’s Volanges’ gasps and groans are extremely fun.
You know that actors are doing something right when the actual police come banging on the stage door, seeking to investigate the cries of anguish bleeding out onto the streets. Hats off to the boys in blue, but no need to worry, those cries of anguish? Just Dangerous Liaisons doing its job. Put the cuffs away…although I think these characters may just be into that sort of thing.
Theatre Thought:Â If one was to write a Dangerous Liaisons for our times, what would we include in it when the wealth gap is only getting wider?
CREATIVE TEAM
Director Tasha O’Brien
Set Designer Patrick Kennedy
Lighting Designer Holly Nesbitt
Costume Designer Lily Moody
Sound Designer Erica Lovell
Dramaturg/Consultant Jess Zlotnick
Consent Consultant Shondelle Pratt
Fight Choreographers Diego Retamales, James Shepherd
Make-up Artist Ruby Dollin
Stage Manager/Operator Bianca Dreis
CAST
Beth Champion, Ben Dewstow
Suzann James, Melissa Jones
Megan Elizabeth Kennedy, Ella Morris
Harrison Collis Oates, Bronte Price
Chad Traupmann
DATES/TIMES
Previews Tue 27 May & Wed 28 May 7:30pm
Opening Night Thu 29 May 7:30pm
Thu – Sat 7:30pm, Sun 2pm
Final performance Sat 28 Jun 2pm
Running time: 145 mins including interval
Please note: latecomers will be admitted at a suitable break in the performance
