Actors Liev Schreiber and Janet McTeer are bringing the British staging of Les Liaisons Dangereuses stateside this fall. Playwright Christopher Hampton's adaptation of the French novel will run for 15 weeks at New York's Booth Theatre.
The current production stems from director Josie Rourke's revival of the play in London last year. As reported by the New York Times, Schreiber is a new addition to the cast for the American presentation, joining the English company led by Tony-winner McTeer:
"Ms. McTeer will reprise the role of La Marquise de Merteuil, which she played in the production at the Donmar Warehouse in London; Mr. Schreiber will join the cast as Le Vicomte de Valmont, a role that was played by Dominic West in London."
Liaisons has a storied Broadway history, initially crossing over from the Royal Shakespeare Company's 1985 version featuring the late Alan Rickman. The inaugural Broadway showing ran for 149 performances in 1987 prior to its 2008 renewal from the Roundabout Theatre Company.
In addition to its stage renditions, the epistolary novel has influenced multiple versions in nearly all venues of entertainment. It's acclaimed 1988 film version starring John Malkovich and Glenn Close, Dangerous Liaisons, stands as an exemplar among countless movie, radio and television adaptations.
Schreiber, parter to actress Naomi Watts, remains notable to moviegoers for his work in films like X-Men Origins: Wolverine and Wes Craven's Scream series. A Tony-winner himself, the actor has developed a respected theater oeuvre with performances in Glengarry Glen Ross, Talk Radio and A View from the Bridge.
Speaking to The A.V. Club, the actor outlined his method of inhabiting various roles, having portrayed such diverse characters as villain Iachimo in Shakespeare's Cymbeline and the title roles of the Bard's tragedies, Hamlet and Macbeth:
"You always have to create the character from the ground up. [...] I've never really been that concerned about doing something that someone else has done. In some respects, every character has been around forever [...] whether it's a new play or a play that has been done before."
Les Liaisons Dangereuses begins previews October 8, opening on October 30.
© 2024 Classicalite All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
