Dangerous Liaisons

Power, lust and greed have entranced everyone from French Revolution royalty to today's hipsters

Comments (0) By Lee Williams Thursday, Apr 8 2010

When Choderlos de Laclos published Les liaisons dangereuses in the 1700s, Marie Antoinette apparently loved it. Maybe that's because it sounded so familiar. The story about badly behaving French aristocrats focuses on a power-hungry woman who sets out to destroy the beautiful people around her just for the sick pleasure of seeing them fall from grace. Death and vows of celibacy are all that's left of these characters by the story's end.

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In the 1980s, Christopher Hampton turned all that glittering bad behavior into a play called Dangerous Liaisons. Today, the University of Houston's School of Theatre and Dance is bringing all that nastiness to the stage. Filled with the ostentations of France in the 18th century - just image the costumes! - the production promises to be sexy and seductive even as it shows us the darkest side of humanity. 8 p.m. April 16, 17, 22, 23 and 24; 2 p.m. April 18 and 25. 4800 Calhoun. For information, call 713-743-2929 or visit www.theatredance.uh.edu. $10 to $20.
April 16-18; April 22-25, 2010