Several times a year, the entire Western world and beyond would come together to celebrate Dionysos, the transgender god of theatre. Thousands of people gathered for these week-long celebrations which saw patriarchal norms turned on their head. Enslaved people were emancipated, women were liberated, and the citizens fiercely competed in tragedies and comedies. It was a radical social intervention, and the birth of western theatre. 


So where did it all go wrong?

Using his training as a journalist, Raphael makes an extraordinary, ground-breaking discovery, offering a bold and inclusive new vision for theatre artists and audiences in the 21st century. Produced by the Collective and commissioned by Outburst Arts, It Was Paradise, Unfortunately combines autobiographical performance, live scenography, and action figures.

It Was Paradise, Unfortunately premiered as part of Dublin Fringe 2024 at the Goethe Institut Irland

Supported by the Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon. Originally commissioned by Outburst Arts, with support from Nebula Fund and Goethe-Institu