François Hollande has been invited... without an answer for the moment.
A president should not say that...
, the resounding book of confidences of the former president to two journalists is adapted into a tragicomic play in Paris.
Published in October 2016, this book, which transcribes some sixty interviews conducted by Le Monde journalists Gérard Davet and Fabrice Lhomme during the term of the former head of state, had devastating consequences, contributing to his decision to give up seeking a second term.
"
Any resemblance to reality would perhaps not be fortuitous...
", immediately warns the Free Theater where the play is performed.
This is produced by Jean-Marc Dumontet, owner of Parisian theaters and close to Emmanuel Macron.
The play features a president who has never been named, but spectators have no trouble recognizing François Hollande in the features and intonations of the actor Scali Delpeyrat, bordering on imitation.
Read alsoThe first extracts from François Hollande's report
He faces two journalists: an experienced investigator (Thibault de Montalembert) and a young colleague with long teeth (Lison Daniel).
“
The idea to adapt the book came from the film
Frost/Nixon
which depicts the regrets of the former American president about Watergate.
All things considered, our interviews with François Hollande resembled this game of cat and mouse between journalists and a president
,” Gérard Davet told AFP.
“
There was material to make this investigative work perceptible on stage in complete transparency, by showing the backstage of power.
We embarked on the adaptation and the author François Pérache helped us with the dialogues
”, adds Gérard Davet.
One of the stars of the
Dix pour cent
series , Thibault de Montalembert “
didn't hesitate for a second
” when the play was offered to him: “
it's Balzac, with the splendors and miseries of the Republic.
Something great in the register of human comedy!
".
The remarks made by the president are "
to the word
" those of François Hollande in front of Gérard Davet and Fabrice Lhomme.
Among the themes chosen for the play, the status of footballers and magistrates who hit the headlines, but also in a much more serious tone, attacks or targeted assassinations.
Read also“I expect nothing from Emmanuel Macron, what can he announce right now?”, explains Jean-Marc Dumontet
On several occasions, what "
a president should not say
" is laughable and we find ourselves in a boulevard room.
Investigative journalists also find themselves confronted with the moods of an editor-in-chief who buffers with the political department, annoyed by the duo which encroaches on her toes.
“
We don't want the play to ridicule a president who has lived up to his task.
It's a tragicomic piece to understand that democracy gains from transparency in all its aspects
,” notes Gérard Davet.
For the journalist, these long-term interviews, without witnesses and without proofreading by the person concerned, sometimes outside the Elysée, were conducive to confessions: “
as the news progressed, he needed to confide.
From time to time we were able to play the role of analysts...
”.
Remained silent a year after the release of the book, François Hollande resumed contact with the two journalists.
“
We kept the link because he believes that the book gives thanks to his action.
What he didn't like was the title
,” says Gérard Davet.
“
One of his close socialist friends came to see the play and told us that it 'reflected the man and his action'.
He told us that he encouraged François Hollande to come...
”.
