Visual illusion in Paradise lost

Abstract

This paper reports the staging process of Paradise Lost, Erin Shields’s adaptation of John Milton’s work, performed at the Theatre of the University of Lethbridge in 2025. Beyond set design, this project was an exploration of space—how space interacts with text, and how scenography can integrate into the play rather than stand apart from it. Given Shields’s bold narrative structure and the subversive choice to portray Satan as a female character, I wanted my design to feel as if it came from the devil’s own hands. I enjoyed the idea of being the “villain,” breaking the rules, and creating an unsettling experience for the audience. This paper outlines my thought process, from conceptual development to execution. It examines how I interpreted M.C. Escher’s artistic principles and how I used geometric compositions, lighting effects, and projections to create a constantly shifting theatrical space. By combining historical stage aesthetics with visual art, and using illusion and spatial fluidity as storytelling tools, I explored new ways of engaging with Shields’s vision and reimagining Paradise Lost through scenography transformation.