Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 524 "Super Theater"?
Two million... francs?

Debussy's coffee cup wobbled and nearly spilled, so he hurriedly put it back on the saucer.

Tesla raised an eyebrow, subconsciously calculating how many motors and transformers this number could buy for him.

Émile Perrin was also shocked. The Comédie-Française's annual operating budget was only about 300,000 francs, which was enough for his theater to operate for six or seven years.

Only Charles Garnier and Gustave Eiffel remained unfazed.

Charles Garnier picked up his teacup, took a slow sip, and a faint smile played on his lips.

The Paris Opera House, which he oversaw the construction of, was officially budgeted at 36 million francs—of course, there are some secrets he would never reveal.

For example, the actual cost may be close to 47 million, and some people even say it cost 62 million.

Two million? In his eyes, it was just a medium-sized project.

Gustave Eiffel, on the other hand, was more composed. He had just completed the design for the internal steel framework of the Statue of Liberty in New York, a project spanning the Atlantic Ocean!
Coordinating the engineering teams from both the US and France is a headache enough. A two-million-franc project, and it's even in Paris? Sounds easy enough!
Lionel repeated: "Yes, two million francs, and that's just a preliminary estimate."

The actual amount could be more or less, depending on the final design and construction plan.

Debussy spoke first, asking, "Léon, what are you going to build? A new theater? Or a factory?"

Lionel shook his head: "Neither."

He walked to the fireplace, where there was a shelf with a wooden board covered by a white cloth. Lionel stepped forward and ripped the cloth off.

That's a map of the Paris suburbs!

Lionel pointed to a green area on the map: "I want to build a 'Pirates of the Caribbean theme park' in the southwest corner of the Bois de Boulogne!"

Emil Perrin frowned. "A theme park? Like a zoo? Or like a carousel in the Tuileries Garden?"

The Tuileries Garden, located between the Louvre and Place de la Concorde, was part of the Tuileries Palace during the Bourbon dynasty and became a public garden after the French Revolution.

A few years ago, a steam-powered carousel was built there, which was very popular with children.

Lionel turned to look at everyone: "Somewhat similar, but completely different. Modern parks, zoos, and circuses are all for audiences to 'watch'—"

When you watch animals, performances, or scenery, the audience is just an outsider. But a theme park is different. It doesn't let you "see," it lets you "go inside."

From the moment you step through the gate, you are no longer a citizen of Paris—you are a traveler who has entered a port in the Caribbean.

Every building you see, every street, every shopkeeper's uniform, even the smell in the air... everything tells you that this is a complete world!

Charles Garnier put down his teacup, his expression finally turning serious: "It sounds like a large-scale stage set."

Lionel nodded: "Yes, but more than that. The set is static, the people are dynamic. In a theme park, the visitors themselves are the actors."

They could go into a pub for a drink, haggle with the 'pirates,' and watch the 'British Navy' patrol the streets.

They could even participate in a small adventure, such as capturing 'Captain Jacques Sparrow'.

Nikola Tesla's eyes finally lit up: "In that case, we must use electricity; we can't use steam entirely. The power system would be too complicated!"

Lionel looked at his chief engineer: "That's right. Whether it's sight, hearing, smell, touch... or even emotions."

We're not building a park, but a living dream where thousands upon thousands of people can immerse themselves in it simultaneously!

Gustave Eiffel spoke up: "What about the technical difficulties? How do you plan to achieve 'immersion'?"

Lionel was delighted. He knew that the great engineer would ask such a question, which meant he was interested and had even begun to consider the specific technical details.

Lionel peeled off the map from the canvas, revealing an overhead view. In the center of the image was an irregular area divided into several sections.

Each block is marked with a different color and has a handwritten note next to it.

He said sincerely, "This is why we need you all. The entire park covers approximately thirty hectares. At the entrance, we will build a gate modeled after Port Royal."

After purchasing tickets, tourists officially enter 'Caribbean World'.

His finger moved to the first section: "This is 'Port Town.' The streets, shops, taverns, blacksmith shops... are all built in the 17th-century Caribbean style."

They'll also set up a few gallows and hang some mannequins to enhance the atmosphere. In addition, there will be several areas such as 'Turtle Island' and 'Treasure Cave'.

Charles Garnier leaned closer to examine the drawings, his brow furrowing slightly. "A unified style is a good thing. But you said 'all according to'... which region's style specifically?"
Spanish? British? French? The architectural styles of the various Caribbean colonies differed greatly, and mixing them together would look incongruous.

Lionel had anticipated this: "The story is set primarily around British colonial ports. Because Jack is fighting against the British Navy, it's easier for tourists to connect with the story."

However, adding some Spanish or French elements as embellishments can reflect the eclectic nature of the Caribbean style.

Charles Garnier nodded: “That’s fine. But the distressed finish on the exterior walls needs to be done well; the metal frame can’t be exposed.” Lionel said, “I’d like you to be in charge of this part, Mr. Garnier. The overall architectural planning, style control, and pedestrian flow arrangement—”

How visitors navigate the area after entering the gate so they can see all the zones without feeling crowded, experiencing repetition, or getting bored requires professional spatial design.

Charles Garnier did not agree immediately, but stared at the blueprint for a long time, drawing several lines in the air with his finger as if simulating the flow of people.

Lionel cautioned, "Popular flow cannot be a simple straight line; main roads, secondary roads, and alleys need to form a network to give tourists a sense of exploration."

The park has restaurants, theaters, and large rides, all of which should be easy to find.

Charles Garnier nodded: "I will design a wayfinding system, for example, using different colored paving stones to indicate directions."

Lionel smiled, knowing that this meant he had agreed: "This is exactly the kind of expertise I need from you."

Charles Garnier looked up: “But you just said ‘immersion.’ I can control the architectural style, but what about the atmosphere? Architecture alone is not enough.”

Lionel looked at Emil Perrin: "Now it's Dean Perrin's turn."

Emil Perrin sat up straight and leaned closer.

Lionel said, "Theme parks need two types of performers. The first is 'permanent roles,' such as the mayor of the port town, the tavern owner, the soldier..."

These characters are active throughout the park, interacting naturally with visitors. They're not 'performing on stage,' they're 'living.'

Emil Perrin laughed: "Like an improvisational comedy? But on a much larger scale."

Lionel nodded: "Yes. Actors need to memorize the basic character and backstory, but they can improvise the specific dialogue."

For example, if a tourist asks the tavern owner, "Is the sea calm lately?"

The boss could reply, 'Peaceful? My friend, the Black Pearl just plundered Nassau last week! You should be glad you're still ashore!'

This interactive experience needs to be fun for visitors, but not frightening. Initial estimates suggest that a total of 150 regular performers will be needed.

Of all my friends, only you truly understand how to select actors, how to train them, and how to direct them. You can think of it as a giant open-air theater.

Emil Perrin was silent for a moment, then slowly nodded: "Very interesting, and very challenging. What about the second type of performer?"

Lionel flipped to another sketch: "The second option is the formal performance. There will be several permanent theaters in the park."

An open-air amphitheater is used for large-scale performances, such as a reenactment of a naval battle between pirates and the navy, which requires special effects, fireworks, and simple explosions.

A small indoor theater for more sophisticated theatrical productions, such as Captain Jack Sparrow's adventure stories.

In addition, we will set up several street performance areas for acrobatics, sword demonstrations, and folk song performances.

Emil Perrin beamed: "Great! This way, the young actors from the comedy theater can train here first, and other actors can earn extra money during their breaks."

Debussy finally found an opportunity to speak: "Mr. Sorel, what about the music? All these performances need music! Music is essential for immersing the audience!"

He could no longer contain his excitement; for a 19th-century musician, this would be an unprecedented creative experience.

Lionel looked at Debussy: "This is exactly where you're needed, Claude! You need to compose dozens of pieces of music for the entire park."

Different scenes, different times, different emotions... They need to be consistent in style, yet each has its own characteristics, and can reflect the theme of 'adventure'.

There will be a dozen or so small bands distributed throughout different areas of the park, ensuring that visitors can hear them wherever they go, even on the large rides.

Debussy's breathing quickened—dozens of entirely new musical compositions, covering a wide range of styles and purposes…

This is more challenging than writing an opera, but it also offers more freedom.

Tesla astutely picked up on a keyword that might be relevant to him: "large amusement park rides?"

Lionel pulled out a few more blueprints, which contained sketches of mechanical structures: "Yes! A theme park can't just be about seeing and hearing; it also needs to have 'play'!"

He pointed to the first picture: "This is called a 'pirate ship,' but it's not a real ship. It's actually a giant pendulum."

The base is a sturdy steel structure, from which hangs a cockpit shaped like an antique pirate ship, powered by a steam engine that makes the ship swing back and forth.

Passengers sitting in the boat will experience the thrill of weightlessness and acceleration.

If everyone could understand Lionel's previous concept as a "super theater," then the equipment in front of them truly surpassed their imagination.

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(End of this chapter)