Les Liaisons Dangereuses (Bbc Radio Presents)

The Vicomte de Valmont and his former lover, the beautiful Marquise de Merteuil, enter into a personal competition to seduce and betray the innocent, in a multicast dramatization of the classic novel set against the decadence of pre-Revolutionary France. Book available.

ent and degenerate world of the pre-revolutionary French aristocracy the suave, satanically elegant Vicomte de Valmont (Ciaran Hinds) and his beautiful ex-lover La Marquise de Merteuil (Lindsay Duncan) play an elaborate and cynical game of sexual conquest and emotional sadism.

Rejecting the prospect of seducing the fifteen-year-old Cecile as too easy a conquest, Valmont seeks prey more worthy of his talent and reputation.  And Madame de Tourvel (Emma Fielding), pious, married and absolutely faithful to both her husband and her God, would be his greatest coup.

As Valmont slowly ensnares his victim he becomes, despite himself, increasingly attracted to her - which is not at all to the liking of his ex-mistress.  And Valmont finds himself challenged by a woman every bit as capable of double-dealing as himself.