About the company.
Shotput is a dance-theatre company. We make work about the darker corners of contemporary life with athleticism, humour, and a healthy sense of the absurd. We are fascinated with human relationships, and our mission is above all to connect with people through shared spaces. Our productions are physically and visually rigourous, rooted in experimentation and collaboration. We define our work not as a collection of shows, but as a network of relationships with artists and audiences. Founded in Glasgow in 2018, Shotput is embedded in Scotland and committed to internationalism.
Co-Artistic Directors.
Lucy Ireland
Lucy is a director, choreographer, and dancer originally from Edinburgh. She has worked with Perth Theatre, Scottish Opera, David Hughes Dance, Alan Greig Dance Theatre, Errol White Company, Ashley Page, Emily-Jayne Boyle, Kally Lloyd-Jones, and Katie Armstrong. Lucy trained at the Dance School of Scotland and Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She teaches regularly at Dance Base.
Lucy is interested in visual culture and movement as a portal into the unsaid.
Jim Manganello
Jim is a director and performer working in theatre, dance, and opera. Originally from Detroit, Jim has made work in Chicago, Brussels, and the UK, including at the Citizens, Lyceum, Perth, and Scottish Opera. He also co-creates work with young people and communities. Jim trained at École Lassaâd in Belgium, Birkbeck College, and the National Theatre Directors’ Course.
Jim loves making work that is joyful - and savagely satirical. You can find some of his non-Shotput projects here.
Our mission is to create, through all levels of the work we do, a commons; a shared space focused on conversations, relationships and collaboration; a place to explore the darker zones of life, collective joy and human nature.
We want to create work that pierces the soul, provokes thought and laughter, and sustains mystery.
Associate artists.
At it’s heart, Shotput is a collaboration. We are developing a group of associates who regularly work with the company and initiate ideas.
Emma Jones
Emma Jones is a lighting designer based in Scotland. Her work in theatre has included designs for National Theatre of Scotland, Scottish Dance Theatre, Royal Lyceum Edinburgh, Stellar Quines, The Citizens Theatre Glasgow, Macrobert Arts, Dundee Rep and Derby Theatre. Her work has been shown all over the world, most recently in Chile, Peru and Columbia.
Emma has a particular interest in contemporary dance and physical theatre, previous collaborators have included Joan Clevillé, Damien Jalet, Anton Lackhy and Botis Seva.
Emma first collaborated with Shotput on Ferguson and Barton in 2019 and is delighted to be on board as an associate artist.
Rob Willoughby
Rob Willoughby (né Jones) is an artist based in Glasgow who makes theatre, sound and video. He likes to build fantastic worlds and invite audiences to explore them.
Rob's video design credits for the stage include Exodus with the National Theatre of Scotland, Me and My Sister Tell Each Other Everything with Tron Theatre Company, Amy Conway's Super Awesome World (Tron/Summerhall) and Aby Watson's This is Not A Euphemism (Tramway/Buzzcut. . Rob's videography practice has included creating original video content for a variety of clients, including the National Theatre of Scotland, Snap–Elastic, Jordan & Skinner and Catherine Wheels.
He is an associate artist with Snap–Elastic, Brite Theatre and Shotput.
Anna Yates
Anna Yates is a theatre and opera designer based in London. She has designed for Shotput, Somerset House, Finborough Theatre, New Wimbledon Studio, Theatre for the New City, Brave New World Rep, Royal College of Music, Byre Opera, Fulham Opera, Chelsea Opera, and Vertical Rep. She’s worked as co-designer at the Donmar and associate designer at ENO, National Theatre, Almeida, and Royal Opera House. Anna trained at the University of Sydney and New York University’s Tisch School of Art, where she received the J.S. Seidman Award for Excellence in Design.