John Milton's Paradise Lost is here adapted for the stage by Ben Power, with choreography by Liam Steele of DV8. Mixing spoken text, dance and multimedia effects, it is a richly theatrical depiction of the ultimate struggle for ascendancy and of the fall of mankind. It is a self-consciously contemporary production. Back-drop projections hold the space well, there's a (mostly good) composed soundscape and excellent lighting and special effects: with his rebel army about him after defeat in battle, Satan burns in a lake of fire. Here is Pandemonium, the capital of Satan and his cronies. They appear as shabby Michael Jackson-esque zombies, straight from the Thriller video. Thrown out from heaven and consumed by bitter revenge, Satan plots to destroy God's newest creation (Earth). The upfront staging and talk-show style use of the microphone suggests that Jerry Springer The Opera might have been an inspiration. Satan sweet-talks his way out of hell, eventually to tempt Eve and seduce humanity, which we encounter in the second half. I was absorbed more by this second half. Vivid green floor lighting glows under the innocent frolicking of Adam and Eve. So near to death grows life – they are completely naked by the Tree of Interdicted Knowledge. Satan appears as a man in a snakeskin jacket and does his deed. Adam and Eve are cursed and methodically get dressed. Driven out from bliss, they leave with Providence as their guide.

A contemporary hooded fellow is on stage throughout, as an observer, a witness, and at the end as narrator. This Paradise Lost is certainly highly theatrical, with a purer, less dressed second half working better than the first.