French express concern over play about Sept. 11

The French government has withdrawn part of its support for the premiere of a play about the events of Sept. 11, 2001, to be staged at REDCAT, because of concern that the text might be politically inflammatory.

The play “11 September 2001,” written in English by French playwright Michel Vinaver, includes factual, juxtaposed quotations from Osama bin Laden and President Bush.

“It would be easy to say the French government supports a play that puts President Bush and Osama bin Laden on the same level,” said Jean-Rene Gehan, the embassy’s cultural counselor, who read the play several weeks ago. “It’s not our role as an embassy to provoke or intervene in this debate.”

The embassy’s cultural services wing had provided $10,000 to help develop the production. But Gehan, with the approval of Ambassador Jean-David Levitte, canceled $5,000 of last-minute funding and plans to pay for Vinaver’s travel to Los Angeles.

However, the travel funds and half of the $5,000 were restored by the Association Francaise d’Action Artistique, a French nonprofit organization that is partially supported by French government funds.

Emmanuelle de Montgazon, a cultural attache for the embassy, had earlier told The Times that the ambassador had read the play and that the nonprofit’s restoration of funding was taken with the embassy’s cooperation, but Gehan denied those reports.

Travis Preston, artistic director of the CalArts Center for New Theater, which is presenting the production at REDCAT from April 21 to 24, said the decision would have its greatest effect on promotional efforts.

Playwright Vinaver, contacted in France, said, “My play gives flashes of reality without editorial comment.” The passage in question has “no caricature, no satire,” but makes “a very strong impact in showing the contrast but also the essential sameness” between the statements by Bin Laden and Bush. “Obviously they’re not in contact with each other, but it becomes a kind of duet.”

Vinaver took the embassy’s decision in stride. “The situation is not disastrous,” he said. “Good sense has prevailed, at least 90% of it.”