Dangerous unions

“Dangerous relationships” by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos is a novel in which we can find one of the most penetrating descriptions of relationships based on power, manipulation and desire. He adapted the classic 18th-century tale of the Marquis de Merteuil and Viscount de Valmont — masters of intrigue, seduction and psychological play — in the 1980s for the Christopher Hampton Theatre. Stephen Frears's 1988 Oscar-winning film starring Glenn Close, Michelle Pfeiffer and John Malkovich was based on the same development.

In the Lublin production, Przemysław Stippa reflects on the mechanisms of control, emotional pressure and apparent freedom of choice. It shows characters balancing between cynical calculation and unexpected commitment. The director reaches for the dramatic potential of the text to bring out its contemporary relevance and universality, to show a world in which interpersonal relationships turn into a field of strategic play and feelings become a tool of domination.

The staging will be based on a sparing stage form, emphasizing the relationships between the characters and the precision of the dialogues. The minimalist, evocative aesthetic will lead the viewer to reflect on the price paid for treating people like pawns in the game.