To create both Hell and the Garden of Eden on the Royal Theatre stage is a mammoth project. It's certainly a challenge.

Darrell D'Silva plays Satan

The Paradise Lost story is well known because it comes from the bible. It begins with the dramatic expulsion of Satan and his army of angels from Heaven. We follow his journey from the dark depths of Hell through to God's newly created paradise on Earth. In Eden, Satan sets about the temptation of Man, targeting the weaker of the two newly created beings, Eve, and successfully convincing her to eat the forbidden fruit from the Tree of Knowledge.

Good v evil

Leah Muller plays Eve and Belial

It's a classic battle between good and evil. Director Rupert Goold said: "We engage with the characters of Satan and his fallen angels because of their humanity, recognising in their actions the potential within us all to rebel and challenge the established order. "

Milton wrote his epic poem more than 360 years ago, yet it's thought no one has attempted to put it on stage until now. What a coincidence, then, that on the very day the Royal Theatre has its world premiere, the Bristol Old Vic opens with its own version of Paradise Lost.

Challenge

Christian Bradley is Adam and Moloch

Poet and translator Ben Power has been brought in to adapt Milton's work for the Royal.

And Ben Stones - winner of the Linbury Biennial Prize For Stage Design - will provide the set. Not only does he have to bring to life the fiery depths of hell, but create the idyllic home of Adam and Eve, and transform Satan into a serpent.

If nothing else, it sounds like a real spectacle.

In Weekender