Dangerous Liaisons

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 3/1/06 at 11:03pm

Can we talk about this play? I just saw a mediocre production of this play at school. I am now absolutely in love with it. It's probably one of the best scripts I've ever read. Anyone else feel the same way? And is it too soon for a revival?

[NYC4Life]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 3:49am

Yes it is about time they bring "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" back to the great white way. I would love for Cate Blanchett to play La Marquise de Merteuil and Joseph Fiennes to play Valmont. It would be brillant. I love this script so much too.

[grizzabella]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 12:54pm

One of my fondest Broadway memories was seeing this years ago with Alan Rickman and Lindsay Duncan at The Music Box. Their performances were fascinating, spot-on, and absolutely chilling.
Christopher Hampton's script was brilliant. It couldn't have been easy to turn an epistilary novel into a stage work, but he did it brilliantly. NYC, I couldn't agree more. I think Cate Blanchett and Joseph Fiennes would be terrific.
I'd love to see this revived, but I do think it would have to be in a small, intimate theater like the Music Box. I think it would lose some of its power in a really big house.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 12:57pm

I saw a mediocre London revival a few years ago with only one good performance in it (Polly Walker from ROME was Merteuil). I couldn't wait to leave at intermission.

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 1:42pm

Interesting tidbit -- way before the film was made, Glenn Close and Kevin Spacey were announced to replace Duncan and Rickman on Broadway - but the productioin ended up closing early.

I'd love to see a first rate revival of this - but like AMADEUS, really the film is superior to the stage version - I'm not sure audiences today would really be happy seeing the all muslim costumes after the splendour of the movie.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 1:50pm

Why did it close early?

[Michael Bennett]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 1:53pm

I wouldn't say it closed early - let me rephrase - they announced Close and Spacey as replacements, but than decided to close the show with Rickman and Duncan's departure. Ticket sales were slowing down and this was WAY before Close and Spacey were film stars. Would of course be a very different thing if they were cast as replacements today.

[kyle33nyc]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 1:56pm

This play is amazing. Hampton's translation is so exciting and sexual. I think the film is also exceptional, and it does a great job of capturing the piece without feeling too stagey.

Imagine, a thread about a non-musical play...

[grizzabella]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 2:00pm

If I recall, the original Broadway run, with Rickman and Duncan was a Royal Shakespeare Company production that was only slated to be here for 6 months. I believe it wouldn't have been a matter of replacing just the principals in the cast, but virtually everyone, to keep it going. Ticket sales were slowing down, and they decided to close rather than mount what amounted to a whole new production.

[OtherDaryl]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 5:16pm

And Close would go on to get an Oscar nomination for the role.

[Chrysanthemum62001]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 5:28pm

I would love to see Michael Cerveris as Valmont. But, I'm afraid most people don't find him as irresistable as I do. And actually, I think Emily Skinner would make a great Merteuil. I could certainly see Joseph Fiennes as Valmont, too.

Posted: 3/2/06 at 5:33pm

I think it would make a delicious musical. They could do it in sweeping grandiouse chamber music and make it really zing! Just an idea.

[Kitzarina]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 5:36pm

Dangerous liasons, what's happened to them? Dangerous liasons today...

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 3/2/06 at 5:42pm

I stage managed this show in college. An amazing work. I'd love to see a revival as well.