Paradise Lost (lies unopened beside me)

There is a possibility that God made everything because he was terrified of doing nothing.

Paradise Lost (lies unopened beside me) (2015) is a re-telling of the story of the beginning of everything inspired by Milton’s epic poem – told through words, music and the easily misunderstood medium of dance.

A show for anyone who has ever created anything (a child, a garden, a paper aeroplane) and then had to watch that wonderful thing spiral out of control.

Creative Team

 Partners

Written & Performed by Ben Duke
Lighting & Set Design: Jackie Shemesh
Artistic Collaborator: Raquel Meseguer Zafe
Producer: Emma Evans

Originally created in 2015. Co-commissioned by The Place and Battersea Arts Centre with further commissioning support from The Point, Eastleigh and South East Dance. Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England.

With thanks to Tess Howell, Emily Gorrod-Smith and Hattie Gregory

Paradise Lost Trailer

ZoeManders-5.jpg
ZoeManders-18.jpg
ZoeManders-33.jpg
_DSC3667.jpg
_DSC3805.jpg
_DSC3808.jpg

Forthcoming Performances

 In the Press

Featured
The Independent

“The comedy is divine, but the images of love and loss are achingly human.” *****

The Observer

“As everything begins to go terribly, cosmically wrong, we realise that while the fictional Duke has been playing the fool, the real Duke has executed a deft conjuring trick, presenting us in words and movement of increasing darkness with the essence of Milton’s poem.”

Evening Standard

A heavenly new take on Milton. *****

The Guardian

“This is so flawed, funny and oddly noble a portrait of God, that the most hard-hearted atheist may find him hard to resist.” ****

Previous

Juliet & Romeo
Next

Ruination