THRILLING LESLEY MANVILLE DRAMA WITH RIVALS STAR REVEALS FIRST LOOK
Lesley Manville is seen with Rivals' Aidan Turner and How To Get To Heaven From Belfast star Darragh Hand in first-look images of a "striking" new version of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, which will be on stage in London later this month, ahead of a summer cinema release. Slated to run at the National Theatre, it'll be filmed and unleashed on the big screen as part of the National Theatre Live collection.
Manville plays Marquise de Merteuil in the production, which is directed by Marianne Elliott and written by Christopher Hampton, based on the novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos.
A synopsis reads: "Among the glittering salons of the super-rich, patriarchy equals power, reputation is everything – and for women, one misstep can mean ruin.
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"Marquise de Merteuil, master in the art of survival, wields her influence with intelligence and control. Alongside the magnetic Vicomte de Valmont, they turn seduction into strategy and weaponise desire. But when their alliance collapses into rivalry, the battle between them threatens to destroy everyone in their path."
Turner plays de Valmont, while the cast is completed by the likes of Monica Barbaro and Gabrielle Drake.
The production is described in marketing materials as "a thrilling game of love, lies and social warfare", in what is promised to be a "striking staging".
It runs in the National Theatre's Lyttelton space from 21 March to 6 June 2026, with an official opening night on 1 April. A worldwide cinema release is set to follow on 25 June.
Related: Lesley Manville addresses forgotten Emmerdale role: "I was quite bossy"
Anyone desperate for a Manville fix right now can stream her movie with Daniel Craig for free on BBC iPlayer.
Queer, which is based on William S Burroughs's 1985 novella of the same name, was praised by critics, with Rotten Tomatoes currently reporting an approval rating of 77% from 245 reviews.
She'll also soon be seen in the third series of BBC smash Sherwood, which has already begun filming with new cast additions Rosalie Craig, Joe Dempsie, Kirby Howell-Baptiste, Sue Johnston and Peter Wight.
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Writer James Graham teased: "The joy of Sherwood for me is introducing brand new characters with exciting original stories, sitting alongside existing characters and actors I’ve grown to love.
"The new Wood family, despite their down-to-earth humour and charm, are going to be put through the most intense experience we’ve created yet – a normal family, in the most extraordinary situation."
Les Liaisons Dangereuses will be released in cinemas on 25 June, 2026. Tickets for the National Theatre run are available here.
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2026-03-06T17:23:58Z