A little while ago, I was invited by Canary Beck and Harvey Crabsticks, the creative team behind the The Basilique Performing Arts Company, to witness three scenes from their upcoming production of Paradise Lost: The story of Adam and Eve’s original sin, which will premiere this Spring (see the comments at the end of my review of the Company’s Romeo + Juliet).
Now the company has released the third trailer for the production. It features elements of the scenes the cast enacted on my behalf in January, comprising Adam and Eve’s sin and consequent banishment from Eden. Accompanying the trailer on Canary’s blog is a passage from the Ninth Book of Milton’s epic poem, which I offer here as well, in both the original and modern forms, as Adam laments what has come to pass.
| O Eve, in evil hour thou didst give ear To that false Worm, of whomsoever taught To counterfeit Man’s voice—true in our fall, False in our promised rising; since our eyes Opened we find indeed, and find we know Both good and evil, good lost and evil got |
Oh Eve, it was an evil hour when you listened To that false worm, taught by somebody To imitate the voice of Man, truthful in saying we would fall, Lying about our promised rise; since our eyes Have opened we have indeed discovered that we know Both good and evil; good lost and evil found. |
Paradise Lost: The story of Adam and Eve’s original sin has been specially choreographed and set to the fourteen movements of Mozart’s Requiem Mass in D minor. It promises to be a tremendous production. I’ll be bringing you more news as it is announced.
Inara Pey: Living in a Modemworld 
I was curious to see how this trailer would be received, as like the two scenes it features, it features almost no dance (we just couldn’t imagine Adam and Eve dancing at a time like this.) Given that dance has been our primary medium of communication in our shows, this was uncharted territory.
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That’s a tough one to answer, I think, sadly. On film, it plays out well, but the the camera has the advantage of tracking the action (and reactions) more closely than an audience. However, in both film and in performance, you have the medium of music to convey emotion and reactions, and the setting itself encourages the eye on where to look and what to witness. As such, and having seen these scenes played-out in person, I’d say you’re charting the territory very well. .
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