Hollywood actress Connie Nielsen is scheduled to make her Danish stage debut in Nørrebro Teater’s 2027 production of Farlige forbindelser (Dangerous Liaisons).
The Copenhagen premiere of Farlige forbindelser is slated for February 27, 2027, with performances planned to run until April 4, 2027. The production is directed by Jennifer Vedsted Christiansen, one of Nørrebro Teater’s directors. Reumert-winning playwright Marie Bjørn has penned a modern and radical adaptation of Pierre Choderlos de Laclos’s 1782 novel for the upcoming production.
Nielsen will portray the ‘vengeful’ Marquise de Merteuil. Christian Tafdrup will co-star as the ‘morally corrupt’ Valmont, marking his return to the stage after a nine-year absence.
The play delves into themes of power, sex, and privilege within a hypersexualized society. The narrative is set to explore a ‘bloody and brutal conflict over youth for status, desire for access, and sex for power,’ unfolding in a decadent world that fuses Rococo aesthetics with the status symbols of late capitalism. Director Jennifer Vedsted Christiansen characterizes Merteuil as a woman who moves ‘from desire to position and from beauty to power,’ refusing to be ‘humiliated by age in a system where value is measured in youth.’ The production aims to highlight the eternal dynamics between desire, control, and destruction, depicting love as a competition and the body as currency in a power game initiated by Merteuil.
Nielsen’s career includes significant roles in major Hollywood films, such as Lucilla in Gladiator (2000 and its 2024 sequel) and in Susanne Bier’s Brothers (2004). Nielsen stated her decision to return to the stage was influenced by the ‘enormously interesting work’ by Janne Villadsen and Jennifer Vedsted Christiansen at Nørrebro Teater, and their vision for re-exploring the classic story and the character of Madame de Merteuil. Her stage debut is considered a ‘huge scoop’ for Nørrebro Teater and signifies a culturally important homecoming for the Hollywood star to the Danish arts scene. Nielsen has previously expressed a personal desire to engage with Danish productions, noting that ‘it feels good to be home.’
Director Jennifer Vedsted Christiansen believes Nielsen’s extensive experience navigating ‘international power structures, gazes, and positions’ makes her uniquely qualified to portray Merteuil, combining strength, vulnerability, authority, and humanity.
The Essentials
When will Connie Nielsen make her Danish stage debut?
Connie Nielsen’s stage debut in Denmark is scheduled for February 27, 2027, at Nørrebro Teater.
What role will Connie Nielsen play in “Dangerous Liaisons”?
She will portray the vengeful Marquise de Merteuil in this modern adaptation of the classic novel.
Who is directing the production at Nørrebro Teater?
The production is directed by Jennifer Vedsted Christiansen, one of the directors at Nørrebro Teater.
Who co-stars alongside Connie Nielsen as Valmont?
Christian Tafdrup will co-star as the morally corrupt Valmont, returning to the stage after nine years.
What themes does this adaptation explore?
The play explores power, sex, and privilege, blending Rococo aesthetics with the status symbols of late capitalism.
Why did Connie Nielsen choose to return to the Danish stage?
She was drawn by the vision of the theater’s leadership and a personal desire to engage with Danish productions.