The Game's Back On: Janet McTeer & Liev Schreiber Will Headline Les Liaisons Dangereuses on Broadway

As previously speculated, Christopher Hampton’s Les Liaisons Dangereuses will return to the Great White Way. Janet McTeer is set to take on the role of La Marquise de Merteuil, reprising her performance from the production’s debut last year at London’s Donmar Warehouse. Fellow Tony winner Liev Schreiber joins her as Le Vicomte de Valmont (played across the pond by Dominic West).

Performances will begin on October 8 at the Booth Theatre, where it is scheduled to open officially on October 30. Josie Rourke, artistic director of the Donmar Warehouse, helms the production, which will play a limited engagement through January 22, 2017.

McTeer won a Tony and Olivier Award for her performance in A Doll’s House; she also received nods for both after starring in Mary Stuart. Her film credits include Oscar-nominated performances in Albert Nobbs and Tumbleweeds.

Schreiber last appeared on Broadway in the 2010 revival of A View From the Bridge, for which he earned a Tony nomination. He won in 2005 for Glengarry Glen Ross and was nominated two years later for Talk Radio. On screen, Schreiber currently stars in the Showtime series Ray Donovan.

Based on the 1782 novel by Pierre Choderlos de Laclos, the dark comedy follows former lovers, La Marquise de Merteuil and Le Vicomte de Valmont as they compete in games of seduction and revenge. These merciless aristocrats toy with the hearts and reputations of innocents. Merteuil incites Valmont to corrupt the convent-educated Cecile de Volanges before her wedding night but Valmont has other designs. His target is the peerlessly virtuous and happily married Madame de Tourvel.

Lindsay Duncan and Alan Rickman earned Tony nominations for the play's 1987 Broadway premiere. Glenn Close and John Malkovich headlined the 1988 movie version, renamed Dangerous Liaisons. The show was last revived on the Great White Way in 2008, starring Laura Linney and Ben Daniels.

Additional casting for this latest incarnation will be announced at a later date. Downton Abbey’s Michelle Dockery was set to play Madame de Tourvel in London, but had to withdraw following the death of her fiancé. Elaine Cassidy stepped in for her.

The production features sets and costumes by Tom Scutt, lighting design by Mark Henderson, sound design by Carolyn Downing and original music by Michael Bruce.