Ben Duke and Raquel Meseguer’s Pave Up Paradise was first performed by Phoenix in 2006 to acclaim from critics and audiences alike. A witty take on the story of Adam and Eve, this work for two dancers captures all the drama and emotion of love, guilt and sexuality. Accompanied live on stage by a musician playing acoustic versions of hits by Jeff Buckley, The Strokes and Gomez, Pave Up Paradise is a story of biblical proportions that keeps its tongue firmly placed in its cheek.
The piece won first prize at the Burgos International Choreography competition in July 2004.
“completely thought-out and deftly executed. The result is sexy, tender, amusing and relevant.”
The Times, January 2011
“a cool and hilarious interpretation of the Gardens of Eden... Great fun.”
Sunday Express, January 2011
“(Lost Dog's) comic take on sin and general sexual naughtiness”
The Stage, January 2011
LOST DOG | CHOREOGRAPHERS
Lost Dog are Ben Duke and Raquel Meseguer. The company formed in 2003 and have created the following works: Salvage which was premiered at British Dance Edition 2010 and was performed at the Brighton Festival, The Rain Parade which was commissioned by Dance Digital and toured to five venues in Spring 2009, Hungry Ghosts which was commissioned by the Place through the Robin Howard fund and was performed at BDE 2008 where it was one of the most oversubscribed shows before touring nationally and internationally in the autumn of 2008, The Drowner which won critical acclaim and was nominated for a Total Theatre Award at the Edinburgh Fringe 2005, Pave up Paradise which won first prize at the Burgos International Choreography competition, second prize at the prestigious Hanover choreography competition, and was bought and toured by Phoenix Dance Theatre as part of its Stories in Red 25th anniversary mixed bill. In April their latest work It Needs Horses won the 2011 Place Prize.
Ben Duke has also created The Life and Times of Girl A for Scottish Dance Theatre, choreographed Dolls for The National Theatre of Scotland and The Sexual Neuroses of our Parents for the Gate Theatre London. As a performer he has worked with The Hofesh Shechter Company, The Gate Theatre, The National Theatre of Scotland, Punchdrunk and Maresa von Stockert.
Raquel Meseguer has worked as a performer with Punchdrunk, Stan Wont Dance and Maresa von Stockert.
THE STROKES, JEFF BUCKLEY, GOMEZ | MUSIC
Pave Up Paradise features 3 songs played live by a musician, they are:
Last Nite by The Strokes, Lover, you should have come over by Jeff Buckley and Tijuana Lady by Gomez.
ALESSANDRO LIMA | MUSICIAN
Alessandro was born in Italy but moved to England at the age of five, growing up in Manchester. Throughout his school life and later teens he was involved in numerous musical projects, primarily as a self-taught guitarist playing in bands, performing on the Manchester circuit at many of its well established venues. During this time he began experimenting with song writing and through this realised his potential as a singer. In 2008 he moved to Liverpool where he studied a foundation degree in Popular Music and Sound Technology at the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. In 2009 he moved to Leeds where he is currently studying for a BA (Hons) Degree in Music at the Leeds College of Music. Outside of college he sings in both a function band and a band which performs his own material. Alessandro first joined Phoenix to perform Pave Up Paradise in January 2011.
MICHAEL MANNION | LIGHTING DESIGNER
Michael is a partner in the lighting consultancy Eye for Detail. He specialises in designing for dance. He has had numerous commissions throughout Britain, Europe and South Africa, and his work has spanned designs for touring companies, site-specifics and installations. He has created designs for Rambert Dance Company, The Birmingham Royal Ballet, The Royal Ballet, Javier De Frutos, Ashley Page, Athina Vahla, Protein Dance Company, Shobana Jeyasingh, Hofesh Shechter, Rafael Bonachela, Charles Linehan, CandoCo, the re –opening event at the Royal Festival Hall and many others.
Michael also conducts courses in lighting design at Tertiary, BA and MA level, in London, Denmark and South Africa. He has taught lighting master classes for the British Council in Kazakhstan.
Rehearsals: revealed - Pave Up Paradise
One half of Lost Dog, Raquel Meseguer caught up with Jonny Walton from Kaptur during rehearsals of Pave up Paradise to explain about the piece and its history. Musician Alessandro Lima was also on hand to perform the 3 songs from the piece - Last Night by The Strokes, Lover, you should have come over by Jeff Buckley and Tijuana Lady by Gomez.
