First published over two hundred and twenty years ago, Pierre-Ambroise-François Choderlos de Laclos' (or Laclos as he shall hitherto be called in this critique) first (and, according to most, only good) novel has proven to be remarkably contemporary. The issues it deals with - morals especially, and far more deeply than the merely sexual field shown on the surface - are as relevant today as ever, and it's even been adapted for the silver screen, most recently in the form of Cruel Intentions.

With the beginning of their first season at the BOV, the new artistic directors are aiming to start with the established acts - an adaption of one of Dicken's great novels is followed by some summer comedy by the ever trusty Shakespeare later in the season, but first of all we're offered this, Christopher Hampton's adaption of a play almost as old as the Old Vic itself. The gameplan for the new management is to get the theatre back in it's rightful place as one of the major playhouses in the country, but having chosen a story, set and cast clearly aimed at starting as they mean to go on, do their early stages show much promise?

The story itself is based around two former lovers, the Marquise de Merteuil and Vicomte de Valmont, both known for their casual approach to romantic relationships and morals, who make a bet that is to see Valmont attempt to bring down the reputations of two hitherto respectable ladies. His prize at the end is to be a night of passion with the Marquise, but by the end his attitude has changed drastically, lessons have been learned all round, and we're left wondering if the Marquise is really quite as clever in such matters as she would have us believe...

From the moment the curtain goes up, it's obvious to all that costume and set are detailed, rich and in keeping with what would have been contemporary to Laclos in Paris when he wrote the novel. Whilst Cruel Intentions showed that the play CAN be updated, this adaption is, one senses, based a little more closely to the original text, and as such the look and feel of the piece is spot on for the script itself. Late 18th century Paris can, it would seem, be just as debauched as late 20th century New York, and certainly has some far more interesting costume (for theatrical effects, at least).

The cast themselves are exemplary, with collective previous on their CVs including Ballykissangel, Jim Carthwright's Road, Casualty and many more similarly wide ranging TV and theatre productions, including as one would expect, a good deal of Shakespeare. Nothing normally remarkable but reading through some of the things (TV especially) the cast have been in before the show, I did wonder whether they hadn't been chosen partly with a view to getting a wider audience along. Nothing wrong with that, of course, but when you've only ever seen someone on TV, can you imagine them in a real theatre? My doubts were, however, blown to pieces. A few lines stumbled over is something that's only avoided on the very rarest of occasions, thus easy to overlook, and the whole lot drew the audience in to the piece right from the start. Best of all was Rupert Penry-Jones as the Vicomte de Valmont, who as the leading player not only had plenty of lines to deliver, but also had to move us, make us digusted by him and then laugh at him the next moment - and pulled it all off every bit as superbly as his character's first act seductions. Dervla Kirwan also delivers a fantastic performance.

Overall, it's not only a very enjoyable (and much more comedic than expected) play to watch, made so by the cast and directors as much as the script, but it also makes one think and ponder whilst at the same time laughing at the very thing one is wondering about. It never pretends to be high-and-mighty, deep and philosophical, and it's precisely because of that that it's moral and political (at least in the undercurrent of the original novel) points are so well made.

After it all, I'm quite irritated. I resolved to myself this year to try being a little more critical and save full ratings for only the very best of the best, the kind of plays that you find yourself utterly compelled by from start to finish. And almost straight away, this comes along!

I very much doubt it, but I really hope the Old Vic's upcoming stuff is rubbish, so I at least have something to criticise...!

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