Leeds Grand Theatre – until Saturday 10 May 2025
Reviewed by Adam Craddock
5*****
Tonight’s slice of theatre took us on a trip back in time to the 90s. A time before streaming tv, before social media and a time ruled by MTV! “Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical” takes place very much within this world. Based on the 1999 film “Cruel Intentions”, which in turn is based on the 200 year old French novel “Les Liaisons Dangereuses” by Pierre Choderlos De Lacos, the musical follows step siblings Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil and their sordid escapades as they bet on whether Sebastian can bed the innocent Annette Hargrove.
Will Callan and Nic Myers star as Sebastian Valmont and Kathryn Merteuil respectively. Callan is brilliantly nonchalant and suave as Valmont, with a real sensitive side developing by the end of the show and an absolutely fantastic vocal. Myers is also fabulous as Merteuil, with a real Heather Chandler on steroids vibe to her performance and a chemistry with Callan that was palpable. She had a tremendous vocal and acting performance throughout, bravo!
Abbie Budden was great as Annette Hargrove, with a fabulous innocence and honesty to her performance, really grounding this slightly wacky show. Lucy Carter was hilarious as Cecile Caldwell and Marci Greenbaum. She had a brilliant energy about her throughout and had myself and my partner in stitches on several occasions. Luke Conner Hall was brilliant as Blaine Tuttle, with a fantastic poppy vocal and comedic chops on full display. Joe Simmons was strong as the in denial jock Greg McConnell playing the fake macho to perfection. Gabriella Williams and Kevin Yates were both good as Mrs Bunny Caldwell and Ronald Clifford respectively, as was the wider ensemble. There were really no weak links within this cast, kudos to the casting team!
The set was brilliant, a simple two tier building with balcony that screamed of a college sorority building, a classic setting for the vibe of the era. The direction was strong and the choreography was very good, working excellently with the vibe of the show, without pulling away from some of the more tender moments. The lighting and sound design were both good, with the lighting in particular really enhancing the visuals of this show.
I came into this show with no actual knowledge of the movie, let alone its forefather novel, and I have to say after watching this musical, myself and my partner are now dying to watch the film! It was just the right blend of goofy and naughty, sexy and silly and I can wholeheartedly see this becoming an absolute cult classic. With tunes from the likes of N-Sync, Christina Aguilera and The Spice Girls, this is a show that has something for everyone and is not to be missed. I would recommend “Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical” in the highest degree and would encourage anyone to get a ticket while you can before they walk out that door and say Bye Bye Bye!