Les Liaisons Dangereuses: Table Work and Blocking Act I

Tonight we will run our rough blocking of Act I.  We have been moving through Act I by starting around the table to talk through the scenes and then getting up to block them.  One discovery that we made is that the ironic maternal scene between Merteuil and Cecile is echoed by a sincere maternal scene between Rosemonde and Tourvel.  We also realized that the rules Merteuil has set for herself are not much different from the rules Tourvel follows. Merteuil simply follows these rules for her public persona while flouting them in private. 

Hampton's dialogue offers intriguing opportunities for actors.  In one scene between Cecile and Valmont, both characters use the phrase "All right" with various shades of meaning.  Cecile also frequently uses the word "promise," and Valmont willfully twists its definition.

Madame de Rosemonde and Madame de Volanges wrap up their card game

Valmont and Madame de Tourvel ponder their situation

The Marquise de Merteuil counsels Madame de Volanges, soap opera style

I knew that staging this show in the round would lead to a lot of blocking challenges. It's a play about secrets, and an arena stage makes it difficult to hide anything. But we're also having fun adding games into the movement (there's a "Red Light, Green Light" moment between Merteuil and Valmont), and playing with the conventions of soap opera staging.