from the novel by Choderlos De Laclos
Directed By Lainie Hart
Canberra REP production
Canberra REP Theatre to 9 May
Reviewed by Len Power 29 April 2026
Playwright Christopher Hampton’s literate 1985 play, Les Liaisons Dangereuses, is based on the famous and scandalous at the time French novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, written in 1782. People of a certain age will know it from the excellent film made in 1988 of Hampton’s play. It was powerful stuff then, and it remains just as powerful nearly 40 years later in this fine stage production by Canberra REP.
Two aristocrats, the Marquise de Merteuil and the Vicomte de Valmont, enjoy using sex as a weapon of humiliation and degradation. It’s all a game to them but they devastate the lives of their targets, married woman, Madame de Tourvel, and the young and innocent, Cécile de Volanges. Fate ultimately takes its revenge on the pair of schemers.
Jordan Best (Marquise de Merteuil) & Jim Adamik (Vicomte de Valmont)
There are some outstanding performances in this production.
Jordan Best is a formidable and evil Marquise de Merteuil and Jim Adamik is a
powerful Vicomte de Valmont. They both present highly believable characters throughout
the play and are particularly effective as their characters realize they have
become victims of their own vile games. In their many scenes together, they are
skilful in their timing of the dialogue and in their non-verbal interaction.
Yanina Clifton as Madame de Tourvel and Jamie Johnston as the young Cecile de Volanges, the two victims, give strong, emotional performances and Ros Engledow, Desiree Bandle, Isaiah Pritchard and Jack Shanahan are also very effective in their characterizations.
A feature of this production that involves many scene changes is the way they are smoothly handled by the actors playing the servants. The period set, very well designed by Kayla Ciceran, provides several acting areas for the different scenes and Nathan Sciberras’s lighting design is particularly effective in adding to the period atmosphere. The colourful period costumes by Helen Drum are attractive.
Director, Lainie Hart, clearly had a vision here. Her thoughtful and meticulous direction shows in every aspect of this production.
Photo by Ross Gould
Len Power's reviews are also broadcast on Artsound FM 92.7 in the ‘Arts Cafe’ and ‘Arts About’ programs and published in his blog 'Just Power Writing' at https://justpowerwriting.blogspot.com/.
