Paradiso: Man’s Enduring Search for Perfection

2016

Take passage through the heavenly cosmos and find answers to the obstacles of vanity, ambition and desire.

“I have been to Paradise and this is what I saw…”

Paradiso: Man’s Enduring Search for Perfection brings together an international creative team and a diverse cast to produce a sensual, earthly choreography. Inspired by the final part of Dante’s Divine Comedy, this 40-minute dance production shares common human struggles performed in an energetic celebration of dance.

This interpretation of the third part of Dante Alighieri’s Divine Comedy is produced by Akademi, with direction and choreography by Jose Agudo, it features an original score by Bernhard Schimpelsberger.

“Turn your gaze heavenward and leave this restless world behind.” DANTE ALIGHIERI, DIVINE COMEDY

Credit
2017 24 May \| Southbank Centre, Alchemy Festival. Royal Festival Hall, Rooftop.
Circulate London Tour Host venue in brackets 1 July \| Bells Square, Hounslow (Watermans Arts Centre) 5 Aug \| Pier Parade, Newham (Stratford Circus) 17 Aug \| Edmonton Shopping Centre, Enfield (Millfield Theatre) 2 Sep \| Deptford Market Yard, Lewisham (The Albany) 3 Sep \| Horniman Museum, London

Programme [644kb]

“Jose Agudo takes inspiration from Dante’s Divine Comedy in this sensual dance-theatre piece from Akademi. “
Lyn Gardner and Judith Mackrell, The Guardian

“A poignant and highly moving piece of choreography. Playful and gracious, it was a pleasure to watch.”
Mary Grace Nguyen, Theatre Blogger, TrendFEM

“The evening is a continual tide of the tranquil and the torrential, in a sense symbolic of the ebb and flow of life.”
Lucy Basaba, Reviewer, Theatrefullstop

Credits

Creative Team

Role	Credit
Direction and choreography	Jose Agudo
Original score	Bernhard Schimpelsberger
Consultant Dramaturg	Lou Cope
Costume	Martina Trottmann
Producer	Nina Head
Original direction by	Hilary Westlake

Performance Credits

Credit
Archita Kumar, Carmine De Amicis, Edward Arnold, Ellen Yilma, Francesco Migliaccio, Kamala Devam

Media Credits

Role	Credit
Images	Simon Richardson
Trailer	James Williams

Supported by

Circulate Consortium, Wac Arts, The British Library, Watermans Art Centre and The Nehru Centre.