Les Liaisons Dangereuses  By  cover art

Les Liaisons Dangereuses

By: Choderlos de Laclos
Narrated by: Dominic West,Janet McTeer,Una Stubbs,Elaine Cassidy,Adjoa Andoh,Edward Holcroft,Morfydd Clark

Publisher's summary

From the sumptuous private drawing rooms of 18th-century Paris to the decadent estates and chateaus of the French countryside, La Marquise de Merteuil and Le Vicomte de Valmont hatch a long-distance plan of vengeance and seduction.

Valmont is determined to conquer the famously pious Madame de Tourvel, whose husband is abroad on business. However, Merteuil has other plans. She enlists his involvement in the seduction of a young convent girl, Cécile Volanges, the wife-to-be of the Marquise's former lover. But as they race toward the culmination of their plans, events start to spiral out of control and they realise that they might not be as in control of their hearts as once they thought.

Starring:

Madame de Volanges: Adjoa Andoh

La Présidente de Tourvel: Elaine Cassidy

Cécile Volanges: Morfydd Clark

Le Chevalier Danceny: Edward Holcroft

Marquise de Merteuil: Janet McTeer

Vicomte de Valmont: Dominic West

Madame de Rosemond: Una Stubbs.

With announcements by Simon Kane.

Public Domain (P)2016 Audible Ltd.

Critic reviews

“This audio production provides a master class in inhabiting character, interpretation of text, and vocal technique.” (AudioFile)

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Almost better than the movie

This was an abridged full-cast performance, in epistolary form, of the play, which is based on the 1782 novel about French aristocrats engaging in recreational adultery and competitive seduction. It's marvelously acted with all the venom and petty viciousness befitting scheming, amoral aristocrats whose only ambition is sex and the ruination of lives.

The Marquise de Merteuil (played in the 1988 movie by Glenn Close) is a rich widow who has clawed her way to the top the only way a woman can in her society. Sexually rapacious and (deep down) embittered by the double standards that allow men to boast of their conquests while women have to carefully guard their reputations, she enjoys manipulating people and ruining lives, and enlists a friend of hers, the equally amoral playboy Vicomte de Valmont, to deflower the virginal fiancee (played in the movie by a young Uma Thurman) of a lover who just broke up with her. He has his own conquests in mind, however, and the two of them spar with at first friendly affection as they execute their separate schemes, but the two of them wind up ruining lives, breaking hearts, and eventually, causing more than one death as their rivalry escalates.

One might be forgiven for concluding that the moral of the story is that the entire French aristocracy were worthless parasites who deserved the tumbrils soon to come.

It's a great story, which I downloaded as an Audible freebie. As much as I enjoyed the 1988 movie, the cast here is perfect.

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24 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars
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    4 out of 5 stars

Dangerous Indeed

What made the experience of listening to Les Liaisons Dangereuses the most enjoyable?

Every performer was stellar. There's a wonderful sense of this being an actual ensemble, which is hardly surprising since this is the cast of the current London revival.

What did you like best about this story?

The deliciously twisted relationship between the two main characters.

Which scene was your favorite?

It's hard to chose just one. But the last 1/4 of the book is all captivating.

If you could take any character from Les Liaisons Dangereuses out to dinner, who would it be and why?

Valmont. Although I'd bring a chaperone since he can't be trusted.

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7 people found this helpful

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

So, I didn't like a "classic"

I know Choderlos de Laclos "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" (1782) is an important work, s thinly veiled criticism of pre-revolutionary French nobility and the terminal debauchery that infected and eventually felled the monarchy.

Or maybe it wasn't. de Laclos' patron was the duc D'Orleans, a real political player and the king's brother. Maybe it was a commissioned 18th Century version of E. L. James' "Fifty Shades of Grey" (2011). "Les Liaisons" features the Vicomte de Valmont, whose name is close to the actual French royal House of Valois. Christian Grey could, in some respects, be Valmont in a private helicopter instead of on horseback.

Maybe it's a combination of both and much more. Spark Notes and Shmoop are better resources than this review, although I'm not sure that either compares it with 21st century sadomasochistic erotica.

Literary analysis and criticism aside, "Les Liaisons Dangereuses" did not travel the cultural and social terrain well. I read the full version of the book - this Audible is abridged - many years ago, in high school, and I remember it as moderately scandalous. Now I'm pretty horrified by some parts. No, I really don't want to hear about adults having sex with adolescents, even if it was legal in Europe two centuries ago. I most definitely do not want to hear about a violent rape, no matter how fictional it is.

I did like two recent movies the book was based on, "Dangerous Liaisons" (1988), and "Cruel Intentions" (1999). Despite the historical significance and de Laclos' good writing , I just don't like the actual original complete book/story.

The performance wasn't great for me, either. The women's performances were good, but i had trouble distinguishing one male character from another.

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Interesting and captivating performance!

Depressing, and short, but intriguing. Very easily listened to all in one go. You're sorely tempted to root for the happiness of one side or the other, but the rivals are determined to be in a contest of who can be the most deplorable. The acting in this piece is excellent, and the consequences it paints for deception and carelessness are severe.

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Marvelous Adaptation and Reading

I vaguely remember this movie, and have wanted to read the book for a long time. I just couldn't get into it though. Not so with this adaptation. It will pull you in so quick, and won't let you go. Excellent, excellent production. All the acting/reading is right on. You really won't miss what was cut.

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4 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

Perfect in all aspects!

I have read this book and have seen the film many times. Both were exceptionally good. I thought that an audible production would not come near either of those. I was wrong! Three cheers to the cast of this audio production! Impeccable in every aspects! *****

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4 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    5 out of 5 stars

great performances of summarized play

This is a brief encapsulation of some of the main plot points and events in the play, as told through letters between the main characters, and the performances are wonderful. I would have loved to have seen this production in it's fullness, particularly the wonderful Dominc West and Janet McTeer.

The (only slight) down-side is I think you need to know a little of the play (or movie) first to imagine the set-up and staging. I find that's fairly common in listening to audio plays, but if you've seen the movie, that will be more than enough.

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3 people found this helpful

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    4 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars

beautiful performance

I don't usually get abridged books, and didn't realize that this was one, but I will say that despite its brevity the performances alone make this week worth a listen.

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    2 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Could not finish

Any additional comments?

I am sure this was well performed, but I was so bored in the beginning that I just could not go any further. Thank goodness it was free. I would have been very disappointed if I had used a credit or paid any money.

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Amazing

Amazing theatrical performances, beautiful music, and portions of the wisely chosen make this audiobook a must for fans of DL.

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