Paradise Lost

a theatrical poem about man’s original sin

“Paradise Lost” is rightly considered to be one of the most important literary works ever written. It is an extensive, twelve-book epic poem by the eminent English poet John Milton, who created a work that searches for the roots of human evil and sin. In the 21^st century world, this literary gem from the seventeenth century still seems an incredibly topical stream of questions we wish and need to know the answers to. It isn´t possible to name all of them, but the main questions seems to concern the fact that people are prone to breaking an agreement or promise even when they suspect their deed may have fatal consequences. Is this the result of constant human dissatisfaction or merely a human whim?  Once again, it is an enquiry into the nature of the first human sin, which is also referred to as hereditary, a kind of unfortunate legacy passed down through the generations from our ancestors and historic events. Is it at all possible for the people of this modern age to calm themselves and gain a humble insight into their own failures? Only then can the path to real happiness be found.

The story refers to the Old Testament Book of Genesis in which man was tempted by the promise of pleasure and knowledge, and succumbed, breaking a contract with God, and was subsequently expelled from the Garden of Eden. Doesn´t a contemporary person also have the constant urge to succumb to false voices, false benefits, momentary well-being, at the expense of a natural agreement with their own conscience, their own roots, or simply with their clear and pure belief about what is good and what is wrong? But on the other hand, how can one recognize evil when it hidden under a golden veil and offers a seductive smile or an instant “tickling” of the ego?

John Milton speaks in a tongue laden with metaphors, and his beautiful visions teem with images of hell, paradise, fallen angels, the war for the human soul… Our ambition is to transform his language into that of the present day and find clear links between the legacy bequeathed to us by the geniuses of Renaissance poetry and today´s reality. The playwright and director of this stunning work is Dodo Gombár.