W&L Presents Screening of the West End’s ‘Les Liaisons Dangereuses’ The Nov. 10 screening brings the classic 1782 novel to the stage, starring Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner.

Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner in ‘Les Liaisons Dangereuses.’ Photo by Sarah Lee.

Editor’s note: This release was written by Lam Ha Nguyen ’28 for W&L’s Lenfest Center for the Arts.

The Lenfest Center at Washington and Lee University continues its National Theatre Live series with a screening of “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” at 7 p.m. on Nov. 10 in Stackhouse Theater in Elrod Commons.

The screening is the next installment of the Lenfest Center’s Outreach & Engagement (O&E) series. Tickets are required and available online or in person at the Lenfest Box Office.

Adapted for the stage by Christopher Hampton, “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” is based on Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’ 1782 novel, which became notorious for its raw portrayal of seduction, manipulation and moral corruption among the French upper class. The novel later faced censorship in France and other countries, yet its message about the destructive influence of power, desire and social hypocrisy remains relevant to this day.

“Les Liaisons Dangereuses” is set in pre-revolutionary France and follows two aristocratic former lovers, Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont, who turn seduction and the lives of people around them into strategic tools for their malicious bets. During their game of manipulating others for amusement and revenge, their seemingly firm alliance begins to break apart. What started as a competition of desire soon becomes a battle of pride, control and betrayal, with devastating consequences that no one could foresee.

Featuring BAFTA winner Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner, the play’s morally complex characters and themes of wealth, status and social controversy remain relevant and essential to contemporary questions. Directed by Marianne Elliott and filmed live from the National Theatre on London’s West End during its 2026 run, this production has earned four-star reviews from The Reviews Hub, WhatsOnStage and The Independent.

Order your tickets online today or call the Lenfest Center box office at 540-458-8000 for ticket information. Box office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The cost is $20 for general admission and $8 for local students; W&L students receive free admission with student ID.

The National Theatre Live performances are sponsored in part by the Class of 1964 Performing Arts Fund.

For a full list of performances, visit the Lenfest Center’s website.