Théâtre Sans Frontières commissioned North East writer, Steve Larkin, to adapt the original 18th Century novel Manon Lescaut for this new French stage production. The company  developed a unique rendering of this classic story with 1950's styling and shades of film noir, casting Manon as a femme fatale to rival Lana Turner.

Set in Paris, Manon Lescaut tells the darkly comic tale of the 'innocent hero', des Grieux and his fascination for the dangerously seductive young woman, Manon. Follow the downward spiral of the student des Grieux as his captivating love for Manon takes him into cardsharping, theft, murder, imprisonment and ultimately exile in Louisiana.

Tragedy, farce, commedia dell' arte - all of these combined in this exuberant tale of passion and romance, obsession and treachery.

Directed by John Cobb and performed by an international cast, from France, Portugal, Australia and Britain, Manon Lescaut was suitable for audiences aged 16 and upwards.

Director: John Cobb
Asisstant Director: Sarah Kemp
Designer: Iain Halket
Composer: Allan Tall
Masks: Joff Chafer
Lighting Designer: John Mackenzie
Production Manager: Shona Wright
Technical Stage Manager: Paul Borthwick

Cast:
Melanie Baxter-Jones: Manon Lescaut
Dominic Burdess: Chevalier des Grieux
Luis Santiago: Father of des Grieux / Lescaut
Alex Pinder: Old M. Géhaime / Tiberge
Asher Lawrence: Young M.Géhaime  /  Synnelet
Rosa Stourac MacCreery: Marie / Jeanne

Manon Lescaut was created by the Company from a script by Steve Larkin and based on the novel Histoire du chevalier des Grieux et de Manon Lescaut by Abbé Prévost and toured to 15 venues across the UK.