Matthew Xia is an award-winning theatre director, cultural leader and multi-disciplinary artist. His work spans new writing, musicals, large-scale productions, immersive theatre, family shows and site-specific performance, with a focus on ambitious storytelling and a direct connection with audiences.

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He is Artistic Director and CEO of Actors Touring Company, one of the UK’s leading international theatre companies. Under his leadership, ATC has strengthened its role as a home for globally-minded, socially engaged work, connecting international artists and stories with audiences and communities across the UK.

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Matthew’s work has been seen internationally, including at Sydney Opera House, Arts Centre Melbourne and Studio Theatre in Washington, DC. His productions have played across the UK, Australia, Europe and the United States. In 2027, he will direct a Swedish-language production of Dominique Morisseau’s SKELETON CREW for Riksteatern, touring nationally across Sweden.

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Recent directing work includes the critically acclaimed, record-breaking production of THE HARDER THEY COME at Stratford East, the first ever UK tour of Andrea Levy’s SMALL ISLAND, Dave Harris’ TENDER at Soho Theatre, Dominique Morisseau’s SKELETON CREW at the Donmar Warehouse, and Marcelo Dos Santos’ Fringe First-winning FEELING AFRAID AS IF SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS GOING TO HAPPEN, which has since been seen in Australia and the United States.

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For ATC, Matthew has directed the European premiere and national tour of TAMBO & BONES, BODIES OF WATER, AMSTERDAM, Michele Lee’s RICE, and several iterations of Mojisola Adebayo’s Alfred Fagon Award-winning FAMILY TREE. He also directed THE ARCHITECT, an immersive production staged on a moving London bus and inspired by Stephen Lawrence. Bringing together performance, steel pan music and a large-scale public finale in Woolwich town square, the production explored Black British lives, memory and future hopes.

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His wider directing credits include THE WIZ at Hope Mill Theatre; BLUE/ORANGE at the Young Vic, starring David Haig, Daniel Kaluuya and Luke Norris; ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI…; BLOOD KNOT; and EDEN.

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In 2022, Matthew co-adapted and directed HEY DUGGEE: THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW, which toured nationally and won the Olivier Award for Best Family Show in 2023.

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Earlier in his career, Matthew was Associate Artistic Director at the Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester, where he directed INTO THE WOODS, April De Angelis’ new adaptation of FRANKENSTEIN, and Katherine Soper’s Bruntwood Prize-winning WISH LIST, starring Joseph Quinn and Erin Doherty. He also founded Open Exchange, a major development programme supporting thousands of early-career theatre-makers.

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Matthew began his career at Stratford East as a young actor and DJ, performing under the name Excalibah. That route through theatre, music and live audiences continues to shape his work.

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He is a founding member of Act For Change, Vice Chair of Cardboard Citizens and a trustee of Get Into Theatre and the Genesis Theatre Design Programme, alongside David Lan and Es Devlin. He has served on judging panels for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting, the Alfred Fagon Award, the Evening Standard Future Theatre Fund and the Eurovision Song Contest.

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Matthew was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of the Arts London for his contribution to making theatre more equitable, accessible and representative.

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He is also a DJ, composer and occasional sound designer under the name Excalibah.

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Recent Directing 

TENDER by Dave Harris (Soho Theatre)

SMALL ISLAND by Helen Edmundson based on the Andrea Levy novel (Leeds & Nottingham Playhouses / Birmingham REP / ATC)

THE HARDER THEY COME by Suzan-Lori Parks featuring songs by Jimmy Cliff (Stratford East / Washington Square Films)

SKELETON CREW by Dominique Morriseau (Donmar Warehouse)

TAMBO & BONES by Dave Harris (ATC / Stratford East & National Tour)

THE ARCHITECT by Roy Williams, Bola Agbage, Mojisola Adebayo, Dexter Flanders, Vanessa Williams & Matthew Xia (ATC / GDIF)

HEY DUGGEE: THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW by Vikki Stone & Matthew Xia (Kenny Wax / Cuffe & Taylor) OLIVIER AWARD WINNER 

FEELING AFRAID AS IF SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS GOING TO HAPPEN by Marcello Dos Santos (FMP) FRINGE FIRST WINNER 

THE WIZ by Charlie Smalls & William F Brown (Ameena Hamid Productions / Hope Mill / Chuchu Nwagu) 8 NOMINATIONS AT BBTAS 

RICE by Michele Lee (ATC / Orange Tree and National Tour) 

FAMILY TREE by Mojisola Adebayo (ATC / Young Vic / Greenwich & Docklands International Festival / Belgrade / Brixton House) 

846LIVE by N. Martello White, N. Powell, S. Srivastav and S. Thompson (Stratford East / Greenwich & Docklands International Festival)

AMSTERDAM by Maya Arad Yasur (ATC / Orange Tree / Plymouth Theatre Royal) 

ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI... by Kemp Powers (Nottingham Playhouse / Bristol Old Vic / HOME)  

BLOOD KNOT by Athol Fugard (Orange Tree Theatre) 5x OFFIE NOMINATED 

SLEEPING BEAUTY by Sarah Nixon, Mark Chatterton and Robert Hyman (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

SHEBEEN by Mufaro Makubika (Nottingham Playhouse /  Theatre Royal Stratford East) ALFRED FAGON AWARD WINNER

FRANKENSTEIN by April de Angelis after Mary Shelly (Royal Exchange)

WISH LIST by Katherine Soper (Royal Court) BRUNTWOOD AWARD WINNER / STAGE DEBUT AWARD / UK THEATRE AWARD

BLUE/ORANGE by Joe Penhall (director) EVENING STANDARD LONG LISTED

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Manchester Royal Exchange - Associate Artistic Director

FRANKENSTEIN by April de Angelis after Mary Shelly (director)

WISH LIST by Katherine Soper (director) BRUNTWOOD AWARD WINNER / 3x MANCHESTER THEATRE AWARD WINNER 

INTO THE WOODS by James Lapine and Stephen Sondheim (director)

BRINK by Jackie Kay (director)

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Young Vic

BLUE/ORANGE by Joe Penhall (director) EVENING STANDARD LONG LISTED

THE SOUND OF YELLOW by Francesca Beard, Matthew Xia and the participants (director)

SIZWE BANZI IS DEAD by Athol Fugard, Winston Nshona, John Kani (director) (Eclipse co-production) GENESIS AWARD 

BLACKTA by Nathaniel Martello-White (assistant director to David Lan)

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Theatre Royal Stratford East - Associate Director 

THE HARDER THEY COME by Suzan-Lori Parks featuring songs by Jimmy Cliff (director)

TAMBO & BONES by Dave Harris (ATC / Stratford East & National Tour)

846LIVE by N. Martello White, N. Powell, S. Srivastav and S. Thompson (Stratford East / Greenwich & Docklands International Festival)

SLEEPING BEAUTY by Sarah Nixon, Mark Chatterton and Robert Hyman (director)

MAD BLUD by Philip Osment (associate director to Philip Osment)

THE BLACKS (REMIXED) by Jean Genet (co-director with ULTZ /composer/actor)

RE:DEFINITION a staged concept album starring: Fumin, Shola Ama, Ghetts, Devlin, Omar (director)

I WAS LOOKING AT THE CEILING AND THEN I SAW THE SKY by John Adams prod. Barbican (co-director Kerry Michael)

CINDERELLA by Trish Cooke and Robert Hyman (co-director Kerry Michael)

ALADDIN by Trish Cooke and Robert Hyman (associate director to Kerry Michael)

DA BOYZ by Rogers and Hart (musical director/adapter/performer)

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​Other Directing

40 EXTRAORDINARY YEARS by Laura & Babs Horton feat. Biggins, Theo Clinkard, Birmingham Royal Ballet (Theatre Royal Plymouth)  

ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI... by Kemp Powers (Nottingham Playhouse / Bristol Old Vic / HOME)  

BLOOD KNOT by Athol Fugard (Orange Tree Theatre) 5x OFFIE NOMINATED 

DUBLIN CAROL by Conor McPherson (Sherman Theatre Cardiff) 

EDEN by Hannah Patterson (Hampstead Theatre Downstairs) 

SUCKERPUNCH BOOM SUITE a staged mixtape in response to Basquiat (Barbican / NitroBEAT) 

WISH LIST by Katherine Soper (Royal Court) BRUNTWOOD WINNER / STAGE DEBUT AWARD / UK THEATRE AWARD

MIGRATION MUSIC by Saphena Aziz (Liverpool Everyman)

SCRAPPERS by Daniel Matthew (Liverpool Playhouse)

THE MISANTHROPE by Roger McGough after Moliere (Liverpool Playhouse - asst. director to Gemma Bodinetz / ETT Tour)

BLACKLANDS by Levi David-Addai (Alfred Fagon Award Reading, Cottesloe - National Theatre)

WILD CHILD by Arinze Kene (Royal Court - Rough Cut)

THE MACHINE SPEAKS by Matthew Xia, Sarah Sayeed and cast (Contact Theatre)

RUTH THE DIVORCEE AND BARRY THE LOVE SICK BEE by Jon Brittain (Soundbites at Lyric Hammersmith Studio)

ABANDONMENT by Tom Morton-Smith (Soundbites at Rich Mix) 

SOYUZ 40 by Kenny Emson (Soundbites at Theatre 503)

RE:DEFINITION a staged concept album starring: Kano, Donaeo, Ghetts, Scrufizzer, Mpho (Urban Development at Hackney Empire)

IN HIS HANDS by Roberto Martins (Okai Collier at Hackney Empire)

WHEN CHAPLIN MET GANDHI by Jim Kenworth (Site specific piece at Kingsley Hall)

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Composition | Sound Design

THE PEOPLE ARE SINGING (Manchester Royal Exchange / World Stages / British Council)

FLASH MOB (Greenwich and Docklands Festival)

FREE RUN (Underbelly Productions)

THATS THE WAY TO DO IT (Time Wont Wait)

SQUID (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

MAD BLUD (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

STICK TO THE SCRIPT (Cardboard Citizens)

A CLEAN BREAK (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

HANSEL AND GRETEL (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

ORIGIN: UNKNOWN (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

NATIONAL SLAM CHAMPIONSHIP as DJ (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

THE SNOW QUEEN (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

FAMILYMAN (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

MEDEA (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

BOLERO REMIXED (New London Orchestra)

VEX (Crying Out Loud)

IN HIS HANDS (Okai Collier)

PASS THE BATON (New London Orchestra)

PUSH FESTIVAL (Young Vic)

AEROPLANE MAN as DJ (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

ASK DA MAYOR as DJ (Theatre Royal Stratford East)

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