"Suite 2806" treading the boards with DSK

Well not quite. The disgraced form head of the International Monetary Fund, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, won't actually be taking to the stage, but his persona will be.

And it happens in a play due to open shortly at the Théâtre Daunou in the second arrondissement of the French capital.

"Any resemblance to what actually happened is purely coincidental," runs the blurb for the imaginatively entitled "Suite 2806" the scene, of course, of the infamous encounter at the Sofitel in New York between DSK and the chambermaid Nafissatou Diallos

"Suite 2806" (screenshot of poster for the play)

 Eric Debrosse and Jelle Saminnadin take on the roles of the ingeniously renamed protagonists "Daniel Weissberg" and "Evangeline" in the play written by Guillaume Landrot and directed by Philippe Hersen, who describes it as being "very elegantly and well written, focusing on power, subconcious deliberate mistakes and redemption."

Proving that it's pure "faction" the plot has...wait for it...Evangeline - who has studied modern literature - entering into "a real discussion" with the businessmen Weissberg!

Say no more.

'It examines the origins of the sexual addiction of my character without making any judgement," says Debrosse.

"And Evangeline comes across as a victim but also a strong woman."

Oh well. It'll be something to see in Paris on a cold November or December evening perhaps.

Maybe it's not surprising that the affair is being milked for all its worth - and more.

After all it at the time it made headlines not just in France but around the world and it surely changed the face of French politics, delivering a knockout blow to DSK's chances of running for president of this country.

Since then, there have been books, both fictional ones that have taken their "inspiration" from what went on in the room and "factual" biographies of Strauss-Kahn, the trial, and his long-suffering and deep-pocketed wife (from whom he's now separated) Anne Sinclair.

And what's the betting there'll be many more.

TV of course got in on the act pretty quickly with the US series "Law and Order: Special Victims Unit" borrowing heavily from what reportedly happened in one of its episodes.

And let's not forget the big screen.

French director Abel Ferrara's plans to begin shooting a film inspired by DSK and his political sex scandals, starring Gérard Depardieu (a custom-made bit of casting in terms of physique?) in the main role with Isabelle Adjani as Sinclair might have been put on hold for the moment.

Lack of funding apparently.

But there is of course the x-rated version "DXK" made by Christophe Clark in 2011 which...actually you probably don't need it spelling out.

Watch the accompanying trailer if you feel so inclined, although you'll need to sign in and agree to the conditions before YouTube will allow you access.



The play "Suite 2806" opens at the Théâtre Daunou in Paris on November 21 and runs until the end of the year.