Those devious, deceitful, underhanded, conniving, cunning, and crafty rascals over at The Roundabout Theater Company are having a grand old time this morning.  The reviews are in and it seems that the critics are in agreement; dirty and rotten is good ol' clean fun!  

Last night The Roundabout's new production of Les Liaisons Dangereuses opened.  The revival of Christopher Hampton's hit play (later made into an incredibly memorable movie with Glen Close and John Malkovich) is making a big immoral splash with movie star Laura Linney in the lead role and British newcomer Ben Daniels challenging her in the male lead.  Directed by Rufus Norris with underhanded style, nefarious flair and yards and yards of fabric, Les Liasons hits its mark just in time for Tony nominations (which - based on the reviews - should pick up many a nod).

Scheming Stars Turn Out

The opening, according to my spies, was quite decadent.  If the cast wasn't starry enough - the audience surely was.  Sigourney Weaver was in attendance, Juliana Marguiles (ER fame) joined for the festivities and Lee Lee Sobieski checked out the show.  Rosie Perez came with actor Alejandro Sanz and Joan Rivers and Tovah Feldshuh decided to see some of the depravity on display in the show.  I had wondered if Meryl Streep would show to check out her daughter's performance (Mamie Gummer), but there was no sighting.  She is in town filming Julie and Julia (the new movie about Julia Childs with Amy Adams).  Do you suppose she snuck in and out of the theater?  Does anyone here think that Ms. Streep would kick butt in the role of the Marquise de Merteuil (no disrespect to Ms. Linney).  

Those Wicked Critics Turn Sweet

The critics all seem to be in agreement this morning, offering up positive reviews for the show.  While there seems to be some disagreement on Laura Linney's performance, most give Daniels very high marks for his B'way debut.  Let's take a look at a few of the bigger dailies and see what they had to say.

Ben Brantley - The New York Times - click HERE to read the entire review.

Brantley LOVES Daniels.  He spends the majority of the review praising the brit's performance.  Unfortunately, he does not have the same enthusiasm for Laura Linney.  All in all a positive review.

"Hedonism becomes a gravitational force in Ben Daniels's compelling turn as an 18th-century libertine in "Les Liaisons Dangereuses," which opened Thursday night in an eye-filling, very imbalanced revival at the American Airlines Theater. Making a sensational Broadway debut in Rufus Norris's production, which also stars an uncomfortably cast Laura Linney, this London actor seems at all times pulled, pummeled and shaped by the prospect of physical pleasure."

"But when she says contemptuously of the puritanical Madame de Tourvel (Ms. Collins), "They never let themselves go, these people," she might be describing herself. Wintry to the point of frigidity, this harsh schemer seems incapable of enjoying anything, even being mean. And the luxuriant complicity that Mr. Rickman and Lindsay Duncan embodied so seductively in the original Broadway version is all but nonexistent between Ms. Linney and Mr. Daniels."

David Rooney - Variety - click HERE to read the entire review.

Rooney, in a positive review, remarks on the resilience of Hampton's script, goes crazy for the costumes and lavishes high praise on both Linney and Daniels, but he takes great umbrage with Jessica Collins work at Madame de Tourvel.  He also states:

"It's a testament to the wit, ingenuity and economy of Christopher Hampton's distillation of Choderlos de Laclos' epistolary 1782 novel "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" that this delicious tournament of sex and power never gets old -- regardless of the indelible memory of the original Royal Shakespeare Company production, the toothsome Stephen Frears film or any of its subsequent adaptations, derivations or imitations. In Roundabout's stylish Broadway revival, Hampton's pungent brew of aristocratic mores, salacious scandal, high culture and low innuendo proves resilient -- despite some heavy-handed directorial choices and one crucial piece of miscasting."

"One visual flourish that really does work, however, is in Katrina Lindsay's stunning costumes. Pairing opulent elegance with lived-in movability, the clothes stick mainly to a palette of muted golds, ivories, blacks and silvers until Merteuil appears in dusty scarlet to receive news of the kill, her malice fully unsheathed for the first time. It might be the oldest dramatic device in the costumer's handbook, but nothing declares war like a blood-red battle uniform."

Clive Barnes - The New York Post - - click HERE to read the entire review.

Barnes quibbles a bit with the lead performances but offers up a positive review of the entire show and recommends his readers check out the new production.

"VICE and depravity wrapped up like a box of bonbons, costumes to die for, a dashing swordfight - and while virtue isn't rewarded, at least the wages of sin are ironically paid. What is there not to like in "Les Liaisons Dangereuses"?  As revived last night by the Roundabout, Christopher Hampton's play is sensual, oddly naughty and totally, impassively immoral. "

With reviews like this, I would say Daniels and Linney can easily start picking out outfits for the Tony Awards.  They are shoo-ins for nominations.  In addition, I imagine the production will pick up a nod for Best Revival of a Play.  I just hope that the scheming nature of their characters doesn't spill over into their real life; causing them to fight for a Tony award in new and devious ways.  We wouldn't want them taking the word "backstabbing" too literally!

~ See You On The Aisle