Monica Barbaro is making her stage debut in the National Theatre's revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses, playing the role of Madame de Tourvel. According to The Guardian - Main UK, Monica Barbaro described speaking aloud in a theatre for this big of an audience as new for her. The production is a stage adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos's 1782 epistolary novel, directed by Marianne Elliott and using Christopher Hampton's adaptation.
The novel was scandalous in the 1700s, with Marie Antoinette having her copy made with a blank cover, according to major media reports. The key cast includes Lesley Manville as the Marquise de Merteuil, Aidan Turner as the Vicomte de Valmont, and Hannah van der Westhuysen as Cécile de Volanges. According to City AM, Marquise de Merteuil described vanity and happiness as incompatible, while Vicomte de Valmont described all he wanted was to deserve you.
I feel like I'm imitating an American accent, but it really is mine.
The set design is by Rosanna Vize, and the costumes are by Natalie Roar, according to major media reports. The production includes dance sequences to stitch together scenes. Monica Barbaro was Oscar-nominated for her portrayal of Joan Baez in the Bob Dylan biopic A Complete Unknown.
She spent months studying Joan Baez's voice and music, learning guitar, and wearing prosthetic teeth for that role. According to The Guardian - Main UK, Monica Barbaro described the filming of A Complete Unknown as intense, noting it was filmed only a year and a half ago and released within months, and it took a long time for her to land afterwards. She is a quarter Mexican, and Joan Baez is half Mexican.
I feel it's best to use my own voice.
According to The Guardian - Main UK, Monica Barbaro described Joan Baez and Suze Rotolo as empowered women who were a huge influence on Bob Dylan, and she was pleased the film honored that. Lesley Manville played Cecile in the original staging of Les Liaisons Dangereuses. The film A Complete Unknown was filmed a year and a half ago and released within months.
The exact opening date for the National Theatre's revival of Les Liaisons Dangereuses has not been announced, and the critical reception for Monica Barbaro's stage debut performance remains to be seen. The run dates for the production at the National Theatre are unspecified, and it is unknown if there are plans for a transfer or extension. Additional cast members beyond the main roles mentioned have not been detailed in reports.
Speaking aloud in a theatre for this big of an audience is new for me.
We filmed it only a year and a half ago, and it was put out within months. It was really intense. It took a long time for me to land afterwards and feel more like myself again.
Joan and Suze [Rotolo, Dylan’s girlfriend from 1961 to 64, a fictionalised version of whom featured in the film] were empowered women. They were a huge part of Dylan voicing his opinions about political matters. They told him what was important to talk about, they were a huge influence on him. And the film honoured that in a way.
I'm just like: 'Then she marched with Martin Luther King, are we clear on that? Do people know that?' It was really nice to hear from a lot of people who watched the movie that they were intrigued to find out more about her.
Vanity and happiness are incompatible.
All I wanted was to deserve you.