Visual illusion in Paradise lost
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Date
2025
Authors
Du, Luxi
University of Lethbridge. Faculty of Fine Arts
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Lethbridge, Alta. : University of Lethbridge, Dept. of Drama
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.
Description
Keywords
stage design , visual illusion and space , staging process , scenography transformation , repeated elements