Redmond Stars in Liaisons Dangereuses Tour

Siobhan Redmond, Clive Wood and Dulcie Gray star in a new production of Christopher Hampton's multi-award winning drama Les Liaisons Dangereuses which kicks off a nationwide tour tomorrow. The production opens at Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud Theatre and continues to another fifteen theatres until 10 June 2000.

Hampton's adaptation of the Laclos novel was first staged by the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1985 with Alan Rickman and Lindsay Duncan in the title roles. It was an instant success, transferring to the West End and then on to Broadway, winning five Best Play awards on the way. In 1988, the film of the play was released, as Dangerous Liaisons, starring Glenn Close, John Malkovich and Michelle Pfeiffer, and Hampton's screenplay won both BAFTA and Academy Awards.

A tale of sexual power games, Les Liaisons Dangereuses is set in the glittering world of Parisian aristocracy in 18th century France. The story follows the Marquise de Merteuil as she devises an ingenious plot with the help of her lover, Le Vicomte de Valmont, a man whose incredible powers of seduction are matched only by his ruthless instinct for intrigue.

Redmond, who plays the Marquise, recently starred in Liz Lochhead's Perfect Days on tour and in the West End. Her other stage credits include Much Ado About Nothing (RSC), An Experienced Women Gives Advice (Manchester Royal Exchange) and The Trick is to Keep Breathing (Royal Court). Her television credits include Between the Lines and The High Life. Wood, who appeared as Valmont in a previous RSC production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, returns to the role, opposite Redmond.

Dulcie Gray, who co-starred in more than 100 stage productions with late actor-husband Michael Denison, plays Madame de Rosamonde. The veteran screen and stage star recently completed a tour of The Ladykillers; other recent credits include An Ideal Husband, Heartbreak House and Let Them Eat Cake. Also in the cast are Sophie Ward, Jan Chappell, Heather Dickinson, Edward Hughes, Elaine Pyke and Andrew Whipp.

Les Liaisons Dangereuses is directed by Peter Wilson. The production marks the fifteenth anniversary tour for Mobile Touring Theatre. Following Guildford, it visits Sheffield, Bath, Birmingham, Norwich, Milton Keynes, Nottingham, Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Blackpool, Dublin, Wolverhampton, Newcastle, Salford, Canterbury, Brighton and Richmond.

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