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Strauss-Kahn: If Not the Musical, at Least the Play Strauss-Kahn: If Not the Musical, at Least the Play
(about 17 hours later)
PARIS — The stage matches the gold mustard tones of the luxury presidential suite at the Sofitel Hotel in New York. The actors dress like eery wax museum copies of a black chamber maid in prim uniform and a leering hotel guest in a bathrobe. PARIS — The stage matches the gold mustard tones of the luxury presidential suite at the Sofitel Hotel in New York. The actors dress like eery wax museum copies of a black chambermaid in prim uniform and a leering hotel guest in a bathrobe.
But “any resemblance to reality is nothing but coincidence,” professes the playbill for a new production in Paris that re-imagines the fateful encounter that wrecked the presidential ambitions of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former International Monetary Fund head. But “any resemblance to reality is nothing but coincidence,” professes the playbill for a new production in Paris that reimagines the fateful encounter that wrecked the presidential ambitions of Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former International Monetary Fund head.
Called “Suite 2806,” the play is a sly wink at reality with occasional facts changed. Its title comes from the number of the room where Mr. Strauss-Kahn was accused of raping a West African immigrant maid named Nafissatou Diallo, whose credibility was later discounted by legal authorities. Called “Suite 2806,” the play is a sly wink at reality with occasional facts changed. Its title comes from the number of the room where Mr. Strauss-Kahn was accused of sexually assaulting a West African immigrant maid named Nafissatou Diallo, whose credibility was later discounted by legal authorities.
No doubt many French, Mr. Strauss-Kahn not least of them, wish the D.S.K. affair, as it is known here, would simply go away. But the play’s sold-out premiere this month was a measure of France’s lingering fascination with a case that has caused a societal reflection on money, privilege and power — particularly as it relates to the sexes. No doubt many French, Mr. Strauss-Kahn not least of them, wish that the D.S.K. affair, as it is known here, would simply go away. But the play’s sold-out premiere this month was a measure of France’s lingering fascination with a case that has caused a societal reflection on money, privilege and power — particularly as it relates to the sexes.
By happenstance — or not — the real Mr. Strauss-Kahn, 63, is awaiting a decision Wednesday from a court in northern France. The judges are weighing his appeal to halt a judicial inquiry that investigated his participation in secret, libertine sex parties with prostitutes that could lead to trial on pimping charges. Essentially, his lawyers argue that the investigation is flawed by procedural errors and that the pimping accusations are groundless because Mr. Strauss-Kahn did not know the women were prostitutes. By happenstance — or not — the real Mr. Strauss-Kahn, 63, is awaiting a decision Wednesday from a court in northern France. The judges are weighing his appeal to halt a judicial inquiry that investigated his participation in secret, libertine sex parties with prostitutes that could lead to trial on pimping charges. Essentially, his lawyers argue that the investigation is flawed by procedural errors and that the pimping accusations are groundless because Mr. Strauss-Kahn did not know that the women were prostitutes.
Mr. Strauss-Kahn is now pursuing a discreet comeback with his own economic consulting company, and remains a subject of relentless speculation. The latest was a report this week in Le Figaro newspaper — since denied — that he was preparing to run in municipal elections in 2014 in Sarcelles in the northern suburbs of Paris.Mr. Strauss-Kahn is now pursuing a discreet comeback with his own economic consulting company, and remains a subject of relentless speculation. The latest was a report this week in Le Figaro newspaper — since denied — that he was preparing to run in municipal elections in 2014 in Sarcelles in the northern suburbs of Paris.
However, it is the lusty lifestyle of a powerful man that intrigues the play’s director, Philippe Hersen, who said he thinks of Mr. Strauss-Kahn as a “modern day Marquis de Sade who used his power to seduce women.” Initially, when first presented with the script, Mr. Hersen had misgivings that it was too early to explore Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s epic downfall. However, it is the lusty lifestyle of a powerful man that intrigues the play’s director, Philippe Hersen, who said he thought of Mr. Strauss-Kahn as a “modern-day Marquis de Sade who used his power to seduce women.” Initially, when first presented with the script, Mr. Hersen had misgivings that it was too early to explore Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s epic downfall.
That queasiness still seems widespread in France. A proposed film about Mr. Strauss-Kahn with Gérard Depardieu in the leading role floundered for lack of financing from reluctant French production companies. A majority of newspaper readers responded “oui” to various online surveys that asked if they were shocked by the D.S.K. affair becoming the subject of a play. That queasiness still seems widespread in France. A proposed film about Mr. Strauss-Kahn with Gérard Depardieu in the leading role floundered for lack of financing from reluctant French production companies. A majority of newspaper readers responded “oui” to various online surveys that asked if they were shocked by the D.S.K. affair’s becoming the subject of a play.
“It doesn’t shock me that a part of history is portrayed,” wrote a reader to the French daily, Le Parisien. “But evidently this has been turned into pure fiction and that’s what shocks me.” “It doesn’t shock me that a part of history is portrayed,” wrote a reader to the French daily Le Parisien. “But evidently this has been turned into pure fiction, and that’s what shocks me.”
For the stage drama, the names of the two key characters are changed to Daniel Weissberg and Evangeline. And the actual nine-minute encounter in New York has been stretched to more than an hour in a duel of words and psychological torment.For the stage drama, the names of the two key characters are changed to Daniel Weissberg and Evangeline. And the actual nine-minute encounter in New York has been stretched to more than an hour in a duel of words and psychological torment.
Guillaume Landrot, 42, the author of the play, said he wrote the script in a burst of inspiration in one month after Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s arrest in New York in May 2011 on charges that were later dropped. A notary, Mr. Landrot’s expertise is writing real estate contracts, but he said he shaped his first play on nights and weekends. Guillaume Landrot, 42, the author of the play, said he wrote the script in a burst of inspiration in one month after Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s arrest in New York in May 2011 on charges that were later dropped. Mr. Landrot is a notary, with expertise is writing real estate contracts, but he said he shaped his first play on nights and weekends.
“I don’t judge either of them,” Mr. Landrot said. “For me, they are two people who come together by chance and a tragedy happens: a man and a woman, a Jew and a black person, a European and an American, rich and poor, powerful and powerless. Everything is opposed.”“I don’t judge either of them,” Mr. Landrot said. “For me, they are two people who come together by chance and a tragedy happens: a man and a woman, a Jew and a black person, a European and an American, rich and poor, powerful and powerless. Everything is opposed.”
But there is no doubt about who the characters represent, especially as portrayed by actor Eric Debrosse, who bleached his hair white and gained almost 6 kilos, or more than 13 pounds, on a diet of sausage and French fries. To master Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s signature sidelong glance and papal wave, he studied videos and speaks in slow, professorial tones. But there is no doubt about who the characters represent, especially as portrayed by Eric Debrosse, who bleached his hair white and gained more than 13 pounds  on a diet of sausage and French fries. To master Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s signature sidelong glance and papal wave, he studied videos and speaks in slow, professorial tones.
“I will always remember the surreal moment when I read about his arrest in the newspaper,” Mr. Debrosse said in an interview. “I turned off the television and saw him in handcuffs and it was almost like watching the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. It was news you couldn’t understand. It was hard to believe because he could have been the next president of France.”“I will always remember the surreal moment when I read about his arrest in the newspaper,” Mr. Debrosse said in an interview. “I turned off the television and saw him in handcuffs and it was almost like watching the World Trade Center on Sept. 11. It was news you couldn’t understand. It was hard to believe because he could have been the next president of France.”
The play was written by Mr. Landrot to be open to many interpretations, including a searing critique from the newspaper Le Figaro that the “D.S.K. affair makes bad theater.”The play was written by Mr. Landrot to be open to many interpretations, including a searing critique from the newspaper Le Figaro that the “D.S.K. affair makes bad theater.”
The night of the play’s sold-out premiere, a sympathizer representing a support committee for Mr. Strauss-Kahn passed out tracts on the sidewalk outside the Théâtre Daunou in Paris, denouncing relentless attacks on the former banker.The night of the play’s sold-out premiere, a sympathizer representing a support committee for Mr. Strauss-Kahn passed out tracts on the sidewalk outside the Théâtre Daunou in Paris, denouncing relentless attacks on the former banker.
On Monday night, the theater was almost full. Outside, one audience member shared a snap critique: “It’s about two people manipulating each other.”On Monday night, the theater was almost full. Outside, one audience member shared a snap critique: “It’s about two people manipulating each other.”
The tension begins when the hotel guest is surprised by the maid’s entry while he is in his bathrobe.The tension begins when the hotel guest is surprised by the maid’s entry while he is in his bathrobe.
“You gave me a fright! I thought I was alone,” the maid says before the man locks the door and tugs at his bathrobe tie.“You gave me a fright! I thought I was alone,” the maid says before the man locks the door and tugs at his bathrobe tie.
The initial surprise leads to a cat and mouse clash with explosive moments where the man grabs the maid and then retreats at her resistance. Their encounter leads to shared drinks and revelations including that the maid had a university education and was descended from African royalty, an aspect far removed from Ms. Diallo’s real life. The initial surprise leads to a cat-and-mouse clash with explosive moments in which the man grabs the maid and then retreats at her resistance. Their encounter leads to shared drinks and revelations, including that the maid had a university education and was descended from African royalty, an aspect far removed from Ms. Diallo’s real life.
“You don’t impress me sir,” she snaps at one point. “You don’t impress me, sir,” she snaps at one point.
“Not yet,” he replies.“Not yet,” he replies.
The maid has the opportunity to leave, but stays. At one point, she makes a telephone call to an unidentified person to say calmly that she is there. The ending is purposely ambivalent. The maid has the opportunity to leave, but stays. At one point, she makes a telephone call to an unidentified person to say calmly that she is there. The ending is deliberately ambivalent.
Jelle Saminnadin, who plays the maid, said when the news first broke about Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s arrest she knew then that she wanted to play the role of Ms. Diallo. Jelle Saminnadin, who plays the maid, said that when the news first broke about Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s arrest, she knew then that she wanted to play the role of Ms. Diallo.
“I’ve encountered men like that with power,” she said. “If you have money then you think you have power over everything, including women.”“I’ve encountered men like that with power,” she said. “If you have money then you think you have power over everything, including women.”

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: November 28, 2012

An earlier version of this article misstated the charges against Dominique Strauss-Kahn. He was accused of sexually assaulting Nafissatou Diallo, not raping her.