FRENCH LETTERS STEPHEN SAMARA It’s been a big year for the Canberra Repertory Society, and it’s about to get bigger with their new production of Christopher Hampton’s LES LIAISONS DANGEREUSES, directed by the formidable Duncan Driver. “It’s the most dramatic and challenging script,” says Driver. “His dialogue and pacing of the scenes shows a playwright who has a brilliant conception of what works on stage.” The play is set shortly before the French Revolution, in a society run by and for the decadent. It tells the tale of the Marquise de Mertuil and Vicomte de Valmont, two aristocratic rivals engaged in a cruel game of humiliation, sex and – ultimately – revenge. Driver seems confident that the show is going to wow the Canberran audience. “The audience can expect lots of stuff - drama, tragedy, comedy, action, a gripping and intense swordfight, male and female nudity, some beautiful classical and early romantic music, sumptuous costumes, a gorgeous set... and lots of plot twists and turns that will keep people interested right to the end of the play.” Rep’s Theatre 3 will be home to a truly unique set, with a real tree at the back of the stage (donated generously by the ANU), and some detailed set pieces. “It’s not a box set if you know what I mean. It’s a very spacious set... the theatre stage is enormous and we tried to take advantage of the depth and width as much as possible,” Driver says. The cast has been picked from some of Canberra’s finest actors, including Duncan Ley, who co-founded Everyman Theatre with Driver. “I had an enormous number of people to choose from - two full days worth of auditions blacked out in the diary. It’s a matter of undertaking lots and lots of people, and it’s not an easy job to turn some of those people down when you have a great wealth of actors to draw a selection from. Hampton wrote the character dialogue so well that it does a lot of the work for the actors.” Also stepping out are acclaimed Canberra actresses Hannah Ley and Lexi Sekuless, last seen in Papermoon’s Medea. Driver sees Les Liaisons Dangereuses as very relevant to today’s society. “You can see it as a historical artifact, one that details a society that is crumbling because of its own decadence. And that’s relevant to a lot of times, especially the 1980s when the play came out. It’s really relevant to this time as well because a lot of people are greedy and spiteful.” Out of the four plays that Driver could have chosen from to direct this season, he chose Les Liaisons Dangereuses for its intriguing plot, and brilliantly witty dialogue. Says the director: “I think it’s the best play.” Les Liaisons Dangereuses plays at Theatre 3 until October 3. Performances 8pm Thursday – Saturday, Sat matinees @ 2pm, Sunday twilights @ 5pm. Tix $35/$37. Call 62571950 for details and to book.
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