May 27, 2005
By Anél Powell
Director: Geoffrey Hyland
Cast: Students of the University of Cape Town drama department
Venue: UCT Arena, Hiddingh campus, until June 5
Having only a faint memory of the Americanised screen version of Pierre-Ambroise-François Choderlos de Laclos's seminal masterpiece on the art, and artifice, of love was definitely an advantage when it came to the enjoyment of this UCT version.
I could appreciate the superb performances of Deborah Vieyra and Brendan Murray without comparing them to Michelle Pfeiffer and John Malkovich.
Laclos has provided directors such as Geoffrey Hyland, who directs this production, with a robust yet sophisticated text, fortified with puns, double entendres and subtleties.
And Hyland's young cast does well to infuse the script with the requisite foppery, flippancy and raciness. Deborah Vieyra is excellent as the Marquise de Merteuil, the seductress who eventually sacrifices love for the ultimate revenge.
She remains resolutely in character throughout the play. Everything from her upright carriage to her reluctance to relinquish the last syllables of her words when making a point, convinces the audience that this is a woman who is unequivocally in control.
She shows how a woman, despite her lowly position in patriarchal 1700 Paris, can be as - or more - vindictive and manipulative than her male counterparts.
Brendan Murray succeeds in attaining the appropriate blend of foppishness and flirtatiousness. He is the lover extraordinaire, the Don Juan of this tangle of liaisons, and Murray plays the part with finesse.
Hanneke Rauch deserves a mention for her interpretation of Mme de Rosemonde as the corpulent, somewhat gregarious aunt in the country.
On opening night the actors, especially Charlene Ann Woodenberg as the Presidente de Tourvel, warmed to their characters as the play progressed.
After a couple of scenes, the audience started responding to the characters. Perhaps as those who recalled the film versions abandoned their preconceived notions and opened themselves to this theatrical rendition
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The cast managed to hold the audience's attention, despite the bum-numbingly length of the play. Not even a lighting hiccup could disrupt the flow, as demonstrated by Jeremy September when he suddenly found himself in darkness.
There was also, thankfully, no attempt to simulate French accents. Instead, most of the cast opted for haughty, high English elocution.
The play, with 17 scene changes, is long. Yet the clever use of set changes as an opportunity for comic interaction between the servants breaks the drama into manageable vignettes. Good-natured rivalry between the two manservants entertained the audience while furniture was being rearranged.
Other touches which add to the charm of the play include the use of Jelly Tots to represent bon bons. Mme de Volanges, played by Kate Liquorish, reveals a sweet tooth that becomes a recurring aside to the main action on centre stage. This foible endears the somewhat insipid madame to the audience.
It would be remiss not to commend hair and costume designers Claire Watling and Celeste Pretorius for their masterful recreation of Parisian haute couture.
Dangerous Liaisons, as the name implies, deals with love, revenge and betrayal. The remorseless Marquise de Merteuil remarks: "Love is something to use, not something you fall into."
However, her plan of entrapment and deceit is undermined when the kingpin himself falls in love with one of the pawns in De Merteuil's game.
As befitting a tale of love and seduction, the dialogue is punctuated with ribaldries. Thank goodness Harry met Sally, making us accustomed to watching celluloid simulations of sexual climax.
In this production, the panting and wanton bosom-heaving, denoting abandoned sexual pleasure, makes the risqué Herbal Essence commercials look tame. But here it is done with such panache that the naughty bits are erotic without being lewd.
Les Liaisons Dangereuses is clever and witty adult entertainment.
  
 
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