Written by Christopher Hampton from the novel by Choderlos De Laclose. Directed by Lainie Hart. Canberra Rep. Canberra Rep Theatre. April 23 to May 9.
This is a dark play. At its heart are two unscrupulous
manipulators, two people with more money
than they have morality who have the power to play with the lives of others.
But in the Paris of 1785 revolution is coming.
Merteuil (Jordan Best) is a woman who relishes power and intrigue. Her collaborator is the equally amoral Valmont (Jim Adamik), a skilled manipulator of women. It is an unstoppable double act that looks immune to change and challenge.
Valmont is juggling two pursuits. One is of the very young and naive Cecile (Jaime Johnston) despite the fact that she is engaged to be married. The other is of Tourvel (Yamina Clifton), married, deeply religious, but being drawn in by Valmont.
Everything is reported back to Merteuil and the pair of them devise further twists and turns.
Until something snaps and the relationship between the two takes a more savage turn.
There are powerful performances all round in a fierce play where nothing ends happily. Johnston is excellent as Cecile, a heartbreakingly naive young woman who has been taught nothing about the way of the world. As the older woman Tourvel Yanina Clifton subtly shows she knows more but is just as trapped by Valmont’s lies and by the demands of society as Cecile.
Azolan, Valmont’s servant (Jack Shanahan) is a enthusiastic supporter of his master’s manipulation of others and a clever anticipator of his wishes.
Best and Adamik are well on the way to capturing the essential amorality and savagery of the central couple in performances that will deepen as the season progresses. Adamik’s Valmont goes from genial to lost in a terrifying heartbeat. Best’s performance of Merteuil’s perceptive reflection on the position of women strikes home as does her final vision of the oncoming revolution which will sweep away so much.
Kayla Ciceran’s subdued period set and Nathan Sciberras’ understated lighting place the older women like Cecile’s mother Mme de Volange (Desiree Bandis) who does not see her daughter’s danger and Volange’s aged honest aunt Rosemonde ( Ros Engeldow) into a safe area that will not last as they gossip and play endless games of cards.
And the small army of servants, silent (apart from Azolan), impress as they glide and bow and pick up the domestic pieces, transforming the upper class interiors at one point into a snowy exterior as Valmont duels with Cecille’s justifiably furious fiancé Danceny (Isiah Prichard).
Be warned. This is not a comfortable play.
Alanna Maclean
