Back in the 1980s when greed was good and power was sexy this adaptation of an 18th century French novel was a massive hit.So well honed are their seduction techniques and so irresistible their sex appeal that they can plot to have anyone they want, do the deed and then regroup to share notes and congratulations. The play opened at the Royal Shakespeare Company, transferred to the West End and then Broadway, toured the provinces endlessly and inspired not one but two Hollywood movies, the best of which starred Glenn Close and John Malkovich as the power couple.
Revisiting the play some 30 years later it seems more a snapshot of how we lived and lusted in the 1980s than anything else. The pair of rogues do get their comeuppance but very late in the evening and for one of them business continues as usual despite a trail of death and heartache.
Janet McTeer's performance really is a masterpiece of stage acting
Janet McTeer is phenomenal in the Glenn Close role. Her performance really is a masterpiece of stage acting. By turns stunningly beautiful and hawk-like, she uses her voice beautifully to capture the low purr of the seductress and accomplished society climber, switching to a lighter sound in unguarded moments. She’s very tall, at full height she commands the stage but if she relaxes her physicality a little she can instantly look crumpled and vulnerable. She utilises all these tricks to devastating effect, her piercing eyes always alive with the possibility of triumph or escape.
Playing against her is Dominic West, famous for TV’s THE WIRE and lately THE AFFAIR. He certainly has the looks and presence to convince as a serial seducer but his nice-bloke-in-a-spot-of-bother acting struggles to make an impression when he’s on stage with his co-star. He also stumbled over the lines five times at the performance I saw, many weeks into the production’s run.
Fortunately the play is so beautifully constructed by Christopher Hampton and directed with such gusto by Josie Rourke that the mismatch of McTeer and West doesn’t really matter.
It’s a very handsome production too, designer Tom Scutt has created a dilapidated, old drawing room reminding us that these are attitudes of long ago. I hope we can all conclude that we’re more considerate of the opposite sex these days!
Andrew Scott is undoubtedly one of the most watchable and clever actors in the UK.