ABOUT SHUNT

(ACTIVE 1999 - 2014)

SHUNT started in 1999 when a group of 10 artists decided to form a company and share the rent on a railway arch in the east end of London. SHUNT was always both the company of artists, and a place to go.

There were two key strands to the work that began in Bethnal Green: SHUNT SHOWS - which took over the whole space and were collaboratively created by the company - and SHUNT CABARETS - curated nights that involved work made by members of the collective, and guest artists.

Our mission statement: TO CREATE THE LIVE EVENT.
An event that made the audience feel alive.
We put them at the heart of the action.

The first SHUNT SHOW - THE BALLAD OF BOBBY FRANCOIS (2000) won multiple awards for its innovation with form (viscerally intense sound scenes in total darkness, 360 design, and a clown inspired performance style). Shunt followed BOBBY with THE TENNIS SHOW (2000), and then DANCE BEAR DANCE (2002-3), that won further awards and transformed the British Theatre scene. Shunt’s work was now referred to as ‘immersive’ theatre.

Dance Bear Dance - The greatest fringe show on earth.
The Telegraph

It was, in the best way possible, totally mind-blowing. I’ve never seen anything like it.
Nicholas Hytner

The most innovative company in Britain.
The Guardian

This success led to exponential growth and in 2004, SHUNT moved to London Bridge where we opened THE SHUNT VAULTS - 70,000 square foot of the oldest railway arches in the city. Here, we produced TROPICANA (2004-5) as part of Nicholas Hytner’s inaugural season at the National Theatre (the institution’s first ever off-site production). TROPICANA was followed by AMATO SALTONE, STARRING KITTENS AND WADE (2005-6), also with the National.

We then experimented with a new format project - a development of the SHUNT CABARET, but this time on a much larger scale: THE SHUNT LOUNGE. This bar would be open 4 nights a week all year long, and house installations, music, art and performance. THE SHUNT VAULTS were open to the public almost continuously from 2004 (the opening of TROPICANA) until 2010 (the closing of the LOUNGE) and were visited by around 700,000 people.

Alongside the Lounge, in 2008 we opened a new venue: SHUNT BERMONDSEY STREET. Here we built a two storey victorian ‘machine’ with glass floors and billowing steam to house MONEY (2008-10). Core artists were involved in both projects, and would pop round the corner after shows to present their own work late night at the vaults.

In 2010, Network Rail gave sudden eviction to all companies in the London Bridge railway arches. So at this point, we closed our venues - this became the first time in its 12 year history that shunt did not have a home.

After this, we produced two further shows - THE ARCHITECTS and THE BOY WHO CLIMBED OUT OF HIS FACE - then we decided to close the collective in 2014.

We now work individually and sometimes together - see WHERE ARE WE NOW? for more info.