Inspired by the 18th century novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses by Choderlos De Laclos, and the subsequent play and film 1988 starring Glenn Close and John Malkovich - the dance adaptation of Dangerous Liaisons tells a story of sexual power, cruelty and deceit. The Northern Ballet Theatre's production takes the form of a series of compelling duets, performed to the narration of the older Marquise de Merteuil as she recounts the tale of the ‘spoiling’ of the innocent bride-to-be Cecile Volanges by her younger self and accomplice and ex-lover, the Vicomte de Valmont. Together they prey on the innocent and unsuspecting in a dangerous game of wicked manipulation, with their letters providing the dark landscape for highly charged performances choreographed by David Nixon. "My ballet was first inspired by the movie and thereafter the original story by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos," he said. "I was first struck by the number of main dramatic roles in the piece compared with most stories and the fact that a story about sensuality in the written word could be captured in movement," he added. Music by Vivaldi, performed by the Northern Ballet Theatre orchestra, completes this fascinating portrayal of French aristocracy. "The Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont are both predators of the most decadent type, preying on less artful victims," said Nixon. "They are the products of extreme luxury and total liberty, when idle minds had time to plot the ruination of others within their society.
 | | Patricia Doyle as Marquise de Merteuil |
The ballet, though true to most of the tale, does take a more segmented approach and is told by the elder Marquise looking back on her cruel actions," he added. The older Marquise de Merteuil is played by actress Patricia Doyle. "The older Marquise, which I will be playing, is the conduit for the ballet. I have accepted the challenge and am excited though uneasy – but that's good," she said. "I have been so fortunate to work with this company, which carries the tradition of Christopher Gable’s vision of a company of actors as well as dancers. "It has been a joy to see the dancers grow as actors at the same time as they grow as dancers. "I am constantly amazed by how far they go to live in the role, and to have the courage to reveal themselves in rehearsals and performance. We work together to create the characters and their reality... I hope to do them justice," she added. Dangerous Liaisons can be seen at the Norwich Theatre Royal from Tuesday 16 - Saturday 20 November, 2004. | 
