The new themed restaurant evokes alluring images of pirate life
France - Pirates Paradise, a pirate-themed restaurant in Lille, offers more than an array of delectable dishes as well as an interior complete with shipwrecks, treasure chests, mysterious coves, and live shows.
Lending colour and excitement to this immersive spectacle is a Jocelyn Morel lighting design that features Chauvet DJ Intimidator, COREPar and EVE fixtures. Morel, whose impressive body of work includes the renowned Au Bonheur des Dames cabaret, was contacted by Grégory Devilder, the CEO of Public Address, the company that owns the 500-seat venue, to create a versatile lighting design that would enhance the restaurant’s shows as well as its unique themed flourishes.
“I know Grégory quite well and understood what he was looking for from the lighting design,” explains Jocelyn. “The lighting system here must do more than merely illuminate the room, it must also contribute to the theatrical looks of the live shows that happen several times during the dinner portion of the day. Of course, while doing that, lighting must also contribute to the mood of the setting by making the scenic elements come alive with colour and movement.”
For effects on the stage and throughout the venue, Jocelyn is relying on eight Intimidator Wash Zoom 450 IRC and eight Intimidator Hybrid 140SR fixtures. Colorising the live performances, as well as the scenic elements located throughout the restaurant, are six COREPar 80 USB and 10 EVE P-130 RGB fixtures.
A collection of 18 Ovation H-605FC fixtures is also used at Pirates Paradise for house lighting. These fixtures have black casing to blend in with the restaurant interior. Although guests are unaware of the inconspicuous black-housed luminaires above them, they are certainly moved by the smooth even fields of light that emanate from the Ovation units.
Aside from providing white audience lighting, the Ovation H-605FC is also used to transform the restaurant by covering the entire area in various colours to reflect different moods.
“The success of this project depended on everything working smoothly together,” says Jocelyn. “My technical engineer Arnaud (Axioms) and Benjamin Powels, the person from Public Address who was responsible for the project, were invaluable in making everything come together. We received very good feedback from the public, our colleagues within the industry and the people at Public Address.
“Pirates Paradise is not only fun for visitors, it was also fun for those of us involved in making this happen. It was the kind of project that you look forward to doing again as a lighting designer.”
(Jim Evans)

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