Les Liaisons Dangereuses

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Excellent Audio Interpretation of This Classic

Each character is played by a different actor, so it is easy to tell who is speaking. All the performances were excellent, it was very easy to follow the story, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

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Amazing voice acting!

The acting is amazing and the story pulls you right in! Best free audible book yet!

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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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