A one man staging of Milton’s epic Paradise Lost and not like whatever came into your head when you read the first bit of that sentence.
Combining theatre, comedy and movement this is a journey through the story of the creation of everything condensed into 75 minutes.
A show which brings you the highlights of this well known but often forgotten story beginning with Lucifer’s rebellion and ending with Adam and Eve’s expulsion from the garden of Eden. A single man plays all the characters, creates all the scenes and, despite his best efforts, falls a little short of perfection.
A show for anyone who has created anything (child, garden, paper aeroplane) and then watched it spiral out of control.
Co-commissioned by The Place and Battersea Arts Centre with further commissioning support from ICIA Bath University. Developed with support from The Point, Eastleigh and South East Dance. Supported using public funding by the National Lottery through Arts Council England. Ben Duke is a Work Place artist.
Conceived, directed and performed by Ben Duke
Artistic Adviser: Raquel Meseguer
Light and Set Design: Jackie Shemesh
Producer: Tess Howell
Production Manager (creation): Ian Moore
Production Manager (touring): Dave Sherman
Ben is artistic director and co-founder of Lost Dog. He trained at Guildford School of Acting, the London Contemporary Dance School and has a first class degree in English Literature from Newcastle University. His work explores the overlap and transition between dance and theatre. As well as his work for Lost Dog, Ben has directed and choreographed works for other companies.
He has just finished working with Barely Methodical Troupe on their latest show Kin, which premiered at the Roundhouse in April 2016.
He has created work for Scottish Dance Theatre (The Life and Times of Girl A), Dance Umbrella (The Difference Engine), Phoenix Dance Theatre (Pave up Paradise) and numerous postgraduate performing companies including Verve and Intoto.
He has choreographed for projects by the National Theatre of Scotland (Dolls), the Gate Theatre, London (Sexual Neuroses of our Parents) and Handspring UK (CROW).
As a performer he has worked with Probe, Hofesh Shechter Company, the Gate Theatre, the National Theatre of Scotland, Glyndebourne Opera and Punchdrunk.
Ben is a Work Place artist, was Associate Artist at South East Dance 2012–14 and recipient of the Bonnie Bird New Choreography Award 2011. In 2016 Ben won the National Dance Critics’ Award for Outstanding Male Performance for Paradise Lost (Lies Unopened Beside Me).
Running Time: 75 mins
Age Recommendation: 14+
Photo Credit: Zoe Manders