Writer 1879: Solitary Journey in France

Chapter 331 Immoral Joy!

People began to discuss the safety of the "electric light" enthusiastically, seeing it as a hope for the future of the theater.

The voices that were initially skeptical about the huge investment in electrification of the Comedy Theatre have almost disappeared in the face of the tragic Nice fire.

Instead, there was praise for the comedy theater's pioneering efforts and increased attention to the play "Thunderstorm".

For a time, the unfinished comedy theater and the mysterious "Thunderstorm" became synonymous with "safety" and "progress".

The French Ministry of the Interior reacted swiftly, ordering all theaters nationwide to suspend performances until a comprehensive gas pipeline inspection and maintenance is completed before performances can resume.

This order brought theaters in Paris and throughout France to a standstill.

While managers of major theaters were frantically arranging inspections, they all unanimously turned their attention to the Comédie-Française.

They were all watching and waiting to see how the "stage electrification" would ultimately turn out, given that this theater was the first to "take the plunge."

Although Dean Emil Perrin knew that gloating was immoral, he was still practically laughing so hard that snot bubbles were about to burst out of his nose.

The Comédie-Française originally suffered huge box office losses due to a two-month shutdown, but now everyone has evened things out.

It's important to know that a large theater has at least two or three hundred gas pipes, many of which are buried in the walls; the number of valves is even more staggering.

The inspection and repair alone will take a long time, not to mention the Ministry of the Interior's acceptance inspection, which will take at least a month.

It seems that while the renovation of the comedy theater is complete, some theaters have not yet passed inspection.

The French people's fervor for theater has been building for over a month, and their first choice will undoubtedly be the "safer" comedy theater, not to mention the chance to see a new play.

Émile Perrin immediately submitted a supplementary budget report to the French Ministry of the Interior.

In his report, he elaborated on the enormous significance of electrification in improving theater safety, and used the Nice tragedy as an example to emphasize its urgency and necessity.

He requested additional funding to replace all the lighting in the stands with "safer and more reliable electric lights."

Driven by both public opinion and practical security needs, Dean Perrin's report was quickly approved.

The Comedy Theatre unexpectedly received an additional grant of 50,000 francs specifically for the lighting renovation of the audience seating area.

------

However, in stark contrast to Dean Perrin's excitement, Lionel found himself in a new predicament.

The final scene of "Thunderstorm," in which "Zhou Chong" and "Si Feng" die from accidental electrocution, is inherently difficult to recreate reasonably in this era.

Now that electric lights are widely regarded as "absolutely safe" and represent modernity and progress, things are even more difficult.

If two young characters are "electrocuted" to death, how can the audience believe it? This is no longer just a matter of diverting the audience's attention, as previously worried.

They would find this far-fetched, illogical, and even questionable about the safety of electric lights, thus completely undermining the tragedy's impact.

Lionel crumpled up the script for the final scene that had already been written.

"Electrocution...in a place that was being promoted as a way to replace dangerous gas lamps with electric lights to ensure safety..."

The contradictions within this situation presented him with an unprecedented challenge.

Technological advancements unexpectedly altered the context of the script, forcing him to find a solution that was both logical and retained the power of tragedy.

------

On the last day of March, the renovation of the Comédie-Française was finally mostly completed.

Inside the performance hall, the building materials and scaffolding that used to be piled up have been cleared away, revealing a brand-new look.

The actors of "Thunderstorm" were summoned and stood on the completely renovated stage for the first time.

What shocked them most was the stage backdrop.

Instead of a flat screen with perspective patterns, it is the interior of a real, constructed two-story manor with columns and stairs.

The stair railings and door frames are made of wood, the corridor has plaster railings, and several oil paintings hang on the walls.

The unprecedented sense of realism was overwhelming, leaving the actors, who were used to traditional set design, feeling somewhat disoriented.

The stage furniture was already in place—heavy sofas, a marble-inlaid fireplace, a carved round table, and armchairs. All the furnishings were meticulously arranged to create an environment that Lionel desired where "the characters could truly live."

In terms of lighting, although gas lamps are still the main light source, they are cleverly hidden above and to the sides of the stage.

Electric lights have become an indispensable second light source, becoming part of the interior furnishings and integrated into the scene.

An incandescent table lamp with a brass shade sits on a round table, a chandelier hangs in the center of the ceiling, and two small electric candlesticks sit on the fireplace mantel.

These electric light sources, combined with gas lamps, created a much more layered lighting effect than in the past.

The light shone down from different angles, making the actors' faces clearer to the audience and their expressions more delicate and vivid.

All construction has been suspended, and the site is unusually quiet.

Only Nikola Tesla and his team of engineers were making the final adjustments.

Lionel, Émile Perrin, and two other painters stood in the front row of the audience.

After Tesla notified him that the testing was complete, Lionel stood up and announced: "Today we are conducting a crucial test: the effects of lightning and thunder."

All actors, please take your positions and recreate the scene where Madeleine and La Verne confront each other amidst thunder and lightning.

The actors took a deep breath and went to their places; Madame Berthe and François Gautier-Lüzarche stood in the center of the stage.

Lionel nodded to Tesla, who then gestured to his assistant.

The gaslights on the theater ceiling were turned off one by one, leaving only a few to maintain a minimum level of visibility.

The stage was instantly plunged into darkness, with only the table lamp and the electric candlestick on the fireplace emitting a faint light that outlined the blurry silhouettes of the figures.

A sense of impending doom and unease permeated the theater.

The actors had just finished striking their poses when suddenly—

"Crack!"

A blinding, almost blue-white beam of light suddenly burst forth from the top of the stage, instantly engulfing all the darkness!

That light was not something a gas lamp could simulate; it was sharp and fleeting, as if it could tear everything apart, just like real lightning!
The bolt of lightning exposed every detail—the pain and horror etched on Madeleine's face, the fear and anger hidden deep in Laverne's eyes…

After a short pause—

“Rumble——!!!”

A muffled rumble of thunder rolled over the stage, carrying a real sense of vibration, as if a real storm were exploding in the theater.

The bright lights and loud noises vanished in an instant, and the stage fell into darkness again.

There was dead silence.

The actors remained in the same poses as when they were illuminated by the "lightning," as if their souls had been drawn away by the shock of that moment.

Dean Emil Perrin stared with his mouth agape, his hands gripping the back of the seat in front of him tightly.

Almost instinctively, the two painters each opened their sketchbooks, their charcoal pencils flying across the paper as they captured the moment.

The figures' postures outlined by strong light, the details of their facial expressions, and the strong visual impact brought about by the contrast of light and shadow.

Émile Perrin was the first to recover, and he excitedly strode over to an elderly painter: "Gustave! What do you think? This effect is unprecedented!"

Gustave Doré looked up: "Amazing effect, Emil! The interplay of light and shadow, the dramatic tension...it's perfect!"

Meanwhile, Lionel approached another young painter and asked softly, "Paul, how is it?"

Paul Gauguin glanced at Lionel, then looked down at the charcoal sketch he was making: "I see it. Not light, but pain! Tragedy!"

Émile Perrin walked up to Lionel and said triumphantly, "Gustave is the best illustrator, Lionel, you're doomed this time!"

Lionel patted Paul Gauguin on the shoulder: "Really? That's not necessarily true..."

(I'm not feeling well today, so only two updates)
(End of this chapter)