Cruel Intentions: The ’90s Musical is a high-camp night of nostalgia – review
We imagine many readers will have seen the hit film Cruel Intentions – or at least be aware of it – but for those unfamiliar, it’s an iconic 1999 movie starring Ryan Phillippe and Sarah Michelle Geller.
It’s based on the French novel Les Liaisons Dangereuses, which tells a tale of seduction and revenge. The film is perhaps as famous for a scene featuring Phillippe – which we’re sure will have been a gay awakening moment for many queer folk of a certain age – as it is for its brilliant soundtrack, featuring the likes of Placebo, Counting Crows and The Cardigans.
Given how renowned the film is for its songs, it makes sense for the stage adaptation to be a jukebox musical. There’s a lot here to enjoy – of course, the music is the highlight.
With an impressive live band and a handful of individually strong vocal performances, many of the film’s songs are included here, and there are several additional ’90s bangers thrown in for good measure, from the likes of Natalie Imbruglia, The Spice Girls and No Doubt.
