Matthew is the Artistic Director and Joint CEO of ATC (Actors Touring Company).  

 

In September 2019 he directed his first ATC show, AMSTERDAM by Maya Arad Yasur at The Orange Tree before remounting it the following spring at Theatre Royal Plymouth. With ATC he has gone on to direct Michele Lee's RICE, and commissioned Mojisola Adebayo's FAMILY TREE which won the 2021 Alfred Fagon Award for Best New Play. 

 

From 2018 - 2022 he was an Associate Artist at the Nottingham Playhouse alongside Amanda Whittington, James Graham, and Sara Knowles.

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In 2019, Matthew directed Hannah Patterson's EDEN at Hampstead Theatre, a brand new production of BLOOD KNOT by Athol Fugard at The Orange Tree, and the regional premiere of Kemp Powers' ONE NIGHT IN MIAMI... at the Nottingham Playhouse, HOME and Bristol Old Vic. 

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From 2014 - 2017 Matthew was Associate Artistic Director at Manchester’s Royal Exchange where he directed BRINK, Stephen Sondheim's fabled INTO THE WOODS, a new adaptation of FRANKENSTEIN by April De Angelis with Shane Zaza, and Katherine Soper's Bruntwood Award winning WISH LIST starring Erin Doherty and Joseph Quinn (Royal Court co-production).

 

He established the OPEN EXCHANGE, an artist development scheme accessed by thousands of next generation theatre-makers funded by the Esmee Fairburn Foundation.

 

For the Young Vic, in 2015 he directed the critically acclaimed revival of BLUE/ORANGE starring David Haig, Daniel Kaluuya and Luke Norris, THE SOUND OF YELLOW and in 2013 won the Genesis Future Director award with SIZWE BANZI IS DEAD.

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In 2012 Matthew received the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme placement at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse assisting Gemma Bodinetz on THE MISANTHROPE, directing the première of Daniel Matthew’s SCRAPPERS and associate directing the Everyman opening ceremony, LIGHTS UP.

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He is a founding member of Act For Change, a trustee for Cardboard Citizens, Get Into Theatre and Artistic Directors of the Future, and has served on the boards of Rich Mix, Creative Futures, Inc Arts and Theatre Royal Stratford East (2000 - 2009) where he was also Interim Associate Director (2009 - 2011). Work at Stratford during this time includes: I WAS LOOKING AT THE CEILING AND THEN I SAW THE SKY, MAD BLUD, RE:DEFINITION, DA BOYZ (also Musical Director and Composer), and as co-director ALADDIN, CINDERELLA and THE BLACKS REMIXED (also Musical Director and Composer).

 

Matthew has read for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting (2013/2015) and the Yale Drama Series (2017)

 

Matthew was one of the judging panel for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting 2017 alongside: Alfred Enoch, Lucy Prebble, Russell T. Davies, Lyndsey Turner, Don Warrington, Michael Oglesby, Phil Porter, and chair Kirsty Lang. He is also a judge for the Alfred Fagon Award. 

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In 2019 Matthew was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of the Arts London for "indefatigably working to make theatre universally accessible by working to promote minority groups as theatre leaders, makers and consumers".

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In Autumn 2020 Matthew joined the Independent Equity Committee at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. The Independent Equity Committee is an independent membership body formed of Black and Global Majority industry professional and academics with experience and expertise in anti-racist leadership in arts and/or education. 

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In 2021 Matthew directed an iterative production of FAMILY TREE for Greenwich and Docklands International Festival in the sprawling gardens of Charlton House, and a brand new, critically acclaimed version of THE WIZ at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester.

 

In 2022 Matthew directed Marcelo Dos Santos' Fringe First Award winning FEELING AFRAID AS IF SOMETHING TERRIBLE IS GOING TO HAPPEN starring Samuel Barnett, the 40th Birthday Celebrations for Theatre Royal Plymouth, and alongside Vikki Stone he has adapted children's favourite HEY DUGGEE for Kenny Wax Family Entertainment, which was created for the Southbank Centre over Christmas before embarking on a year long tour. Matthew's production of HEY DUGGEE: THE LIVE THEATRE SHOW won the 2023 Olivier Award for Best Family Show. 

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In 2023 Matthew directs an all new production of FAMILY TREE for a 14-week tour of the UK for ATC. Other ATC projects include the European premiere of Dave Harris' incendiary satire TAMBO & BONES at the Theatre Royal Stratford East, and an important new collaboration with Greenwich and Dockland's International Festival marking the commemoration of a seismic event in recent British history. Matthew was also invited to direct a part of The Walk, with Little Amal for the Easter celebration - this was a large scale outdoor event for residents of Rowley Way in Camden. 

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Matthew is a DJ, composer and sound designer under the pseudonym Excalibah.

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Recent Directing 

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 NOMINATED

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

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Manchester Royal Exchange 

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 DIRECTOR AWARD 

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

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Theatre Royal Stratford East

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)

SKIN by Toby Wharton (reading - director)

INHERITANCE by Mike Packer (reading - director)

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 AWARD WINNER / STAGE DEBUT AWARD / UK THEATRE AWARD NOMINATED

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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